Once upon a time, I was a humble writer. I worked writing funny greeting cards for a company called Gibson Greetings in Cincinnati, Ohio. But that was actually far duller than one might imagine, so I moved to Chicago to make my fortune.

I met up with some really smart folks at the Field Museum of Natural History and fell in love with science. It happens. It took me 13 years to return to school to pursue this love, but I finally made it.

I also used to work as an editor at Brookfield Zoo. A fine zoo if you are ever in the Chicago area.

I have two dogs, I enjoy them. I love to be outdoors, taking pictures of plants every chance I can. I like hiking on local trails, traveling to exotic locations, and meeting new people.