I grew up in Rhode Island and have an earth science teacher for a mother. It was inevitable that I would end up interested in the marine environment. I came to URI intending to complete a degree in oceanography; however, after the first year of biology classes, I quickly learned that oceanography was not the discipline most suited to my interests.

I eventually found myself graduating with a degree in environmental and natural resource economics and a minor in marine affairs. The marine affairs courses really caught my interest, and based on that interest, I decided to go to law school to focus on environmental and maritime law. After three years of law school and three years of law practice, I decided to expand my knowledge regarding the interactions between humans and the marine environment. That decision led me to the Department of Marine Affairs, where I am currently working on obtaining my Master of Arts in Marine Affairs.

I believe I came back to the marine affairs department because the courses focus on human effects and interactions with the natural environment, the area in which I am truly interested. The interdisciplinary aspects of this discipline are many and a degree in this field will prepare the next generation for the environmental challenges that we will inevitably face.