Following High School I attended MSU and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science. I then joined the Peace Corps and served as an environmental education volunteer in Belize, Central America for two years. After returning from Belize I began graduate school at Western Illinois University. I graduated in December of 2006 with a Master's in Geography: Rural and Regional Planning and a post bachelors certificate in Rural Community Development. I was then hired by the City of Hoopeston, IL where I work as the economic development director for the city. In between all of this I have done a lot of traveling all over the world!