I completed my undergraduate degree in biology at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and my Ph.D. in developmental biology at Thomas Jefferson University. I held a research fellowship at University of Pennsylvania studying muscle stem cells before I moved to Iowa City to complete a research fellowship where I studied frog heart development. I started at Simpson College in 1999, where I teach the introductory biology course for our majors, Principles of Biology and advanced courses in Human Physiology, Human Embryology, and Developmental Biology.

As Simpson’s Pre-Health Advisor I track national trends in the profession to ensure our students are prepared to be successful in medical school and other pre-health professional programs. I enjoy working with undergraduate students in my research lab where we study genes that direct organ formation in a variety of different animal models. Outside of the classroom and the laboratory I enjoy being outdoors and traveling with my family.