I grew up in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. (Fun fact: Elizabethtown smells like chocolate more often than Hershey, which is just down the road!) I was involved in 4-H and FFA through my high school and I participated in the local county fair. My parents knew before I could spell "veterinarian" that I would spend my life working with animals. I also knew from a young age I wanted to be a veterinarian. I really didn’t have a back-up plan.

I majored in large animal sciences at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a tiny agriculture school that offered various hands-on opportunities with animals and agriculture. After visiting a high school friend who went to Kansas State University, I was hooked on Manhattan and continued my veterinary medicine journey at KSU.

I spent a year in mixed animal practice, seeing everything from dogs and cats, to birds, to cattle and horses. I enjoyed working with sheep and goats and their unique problems, as well as providing preventive care for pets.

My family lost our dog, Josie, when I was in high school. She had started losing her faculties and was developing significant anxiety about her vision loss and disorientation. A hard day was made harder by having to take Josie to the vet, which stressed her out even when she was healthy. I wish we could have had the option for her last day to be at home in her favorite sunny spot.

I've met many families who have done everything in their power to keep their pets happy and healthy for as long as possible, but then wrestle with feelings of failure when facing their pet’s loss. I've developed a passion for helping families understand they can give their pet dignity and peace with one final compassionate act.

In my spare time, I enjoy baking and doting over my houseplants. I also enjoy working jigsaw puzzles, running, and attending agility classes with my border collie.