Call it a life-changing fluke, of sorts, but I stumbled upon GIS while interning for Santa Cruz County during my undergraduate studies. Very quickly and ever since, my love of learning helped to build a solid foundation for a GIS career that now sees me supervising a staff of five. It’s been a fun and lucrative, but wholly unexpected, career pivot for someone who started out as an English major.

Once having been bitten by the GIS bug, I obtained my Master’s in GIS from USC, an Enterprise GIS certification, and a Floodplain Manager certification. In addition to these, I’ve pursued less formal training such as: supervising employees, interpreting topographic and property information on engineering plans and survey documents, copy editing, project management, and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Basically, there always seems to be something new to learn and I learn it.

When not working or enrolled in classes, I love to spend my time reading or getting out in nature with my husband and our dog (all the while secretly making maps of the landscape in my mind).