I was born in Danville, Illinois close to Champaign, Illinois and grew up here in Rockford with my five older siblings.  I grew up in a conservative baptist household where my father was a pastor where we were told we needed to follow certain educational fields. I wanted to be a teacher growing up. One day in my junior year of school, my school's administration asked me what I was interested in doing and if I would be interested in any vo-tech during my senior year of high school. Dentistry stood out to me. I started that summer interning at Dr. Branders office shadowing hygiene. Eventually venturing into shadowing Dr. Brander himself. I thought hygiene was interesting but the same thing. I really started to enjoy seeing the various dental procedures.  Seeing patients come in embarrassed of their smiles and leaving overjoyed and smiling. 

Moving out of my family's home at a young age I felt I needed to work to support myself rather than go to school. Since I had my vo-tech in high school it helped me start my career in the dental field. Now that it has been 12 years in the field I have really enjoyed all of the opportunities I have been given, and have really fallen in love with the surgery side and seeing patients cry with excitement over their new set of teeth and smiles. 

When I am not working, I enjoy being outside in nature and working out. Starting plants from seeds and seeing them grow to be taller than I am. I love doing art work and being with my family.  I greatly enjoy my personal career as a yoga instructor. I find happiness when a student comes up to me and says ‘you kicked my butt’ or ‘ I wish other people would understand the power of yoga’.  Whether dentistry or yoga I find my true satisfaction in making people happy.