About 

Not particularly fond of writing about myself in the third person, so let’s just bump elbows and I’ll tell you about myself.

Science

I earned my doctorate in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Florida College of Medicine, with a concentration in Molecular and Cellular Biology. During graduate school, I pursued coursework in Journalism & Mass Communications where I researched the political framing of stem cells in popular media. As much as I loved research, I was perhaps more interested in how people interact with scientific and health information.

SparkFun

After a short stint as a postdoc (what happens to cancer cells in low oxygen environments), I left the lab bench to learn about business and technology. I joined the manufacturing sector of SparkFun Electronics where I saw great potential for bringing SparkFun’s technology into the classroom. In January of 2011, I was given an incredible opportunity to form a new education department at the company to bring accessible, affordable and relevant technology into the classroom. The emphasis was really on bringing that technology and professional development to the classroom. I had a dream about the best way to reach educators - buy an RV and send rotating teams of amazing SparkFun employees on a wild adventure across the continental United States. The success of the education programs provided me with unique opportunities to participate in events like the White House Science Fair, White House Maker Faire, SXSWedu and various thought leadership events. My time with SparkFun also provided early opportunities to engage in national conversations around open source and intellectual property as well as data privacy.

Vaccine Advocacy

I have always been passionate about the intersection of science and community as well as innovative solutions to improve engagement between these groups. I had the honor of presenting “Vaccination: A Story of Risk & Community” at TEDxBoulder (2015) and frequently contribute articles and editorials on controversial topics including vaccination and genetic engineering. In partnership with local and state public health agencies, I launched Community Immunity 501(c)3 to improve community health through education, outreach, advocacy and policy work. I collaborate with media professionals, lobbyists, legislators and constituents around immunization policy. My goal is to find the right tool sets to allow community members to better understand and engage with quality information to create healthier and more informed communities.

Information Science

I am currently enrolled in a Master’s in Information Science program researching health mis-/disinformation, social media, and public health communication.

“A ship in port is safe; but that is not what ships are built for. Sail out to sea and do new things.” - Rear Admiral Grace Hopper