I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago (Naperville, IL) with a fascination for all species. While that never changed, I was several years into a career as a high school science teacher when I realized that I needed to follow my childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian. At the University of Illinois, my passion for wildlife led to multiple leadership positions within the Wildlife Medical Clinic and its ambassador program, research with opossums, as well as trips to Sri Lanka and Kenya to work with wildlife and local conservation efforts. I am so excited to continuing learning and growing as a clinician at Friendship!

Outside of the hospital, you can find me singing along to musical soundtracks, crocheting, exploring museums, and playing fetch with my miniature poodle mix Benny.

Education:

• Iowa State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, B.S. Chemistry
• National Louis University, National College of Education, M.A. Teaching (Secondary Education, Physical Sciences)
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Veterinary Medicine, DVM