Biography

My education began at Harrells Christian Academy in Sampson County. I was a student at HCA from Kindergarten to my Senior year (1986). I then enrolled at Appalachian State University for my freshman and sophomore years. I transferred to UNCW in 1988 and graduated with honors with my B.S. in Biology in 1990. I made it my goal to see and study in other places by attending interesting summer schools. I took Invertebrate Zoology at Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, NC. I attended Cornell University’s Shoals Marine Laboratory for Field Marine Science I and Underwater Research in the summer of 1988 and 1989. I got a taste for international travel when I enrolled in the summer program (1988) that had me live with a host family in Costa Rica. This was a dual enrollment program between UNCW and ECU. In addition to my own courses, I was a Lab Teaching Assistant for the Marine Biology course. Longing to travel far beyond my native New Hanover County, I decided to obtain an M.S. from the University of Guam. It was a pivotal moment for my education. When I lived in Guam, I was able to travel quite extensively in and around Asia. I was fortunate enough to travel to Bali, Saipan, Japan, Palau, France, and the Philippines. And while I worked on my M.S. thesis, I discovered a new genus of parasitic snail (Hypermastus mareticola). In the paper describing this snail, I was coauthor with two other scientists. I lived in Guam for four years and found it a very desirable place to live. The year I left Guam (1994), Governor Ada awarded me the Ancient Order of the Chamorri. When back home at Carolina Beach, where I lived for 30 years, I worked for WECT-TV6 until I was able to get a part-time teaching position at CFCC. And finally, in 2003, I was hired full time. I love my teaching career here at CFCC.

Education

• Bachelor of Science (B.S.), University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Master of Science (M.S.), University of Guam