I was born on Long Island, New York but I consider Atlanta, Georgia to be my hometown. I attended Auburn University and graduated in December 1998 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish. While pursuing my undergraduate degrees, I also had the privilege to work as a cooperative education student at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), working in areas such as life sciences, propulsion, and space suit and tool design. I continued my education and work experience as I attended the University of Texas at Austin, and combined my research on fibrous insulation materials for the advanced space suit with my work as a graduate cooperative education student at JSC. I obtained my Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in May 2001, and immediately began working at JSC!

I have had a lot of experience working with the Texas Aerospace Scholars Programs. Over the years I have participated as a co-op, as a program lead, and, after starting my full-time engineering position, as a mentor for the Community College Aerospace Scholars and the High School Program. I know that this year is going to be great, and I look forward to working with all of you!

Currently I work in the Crew and Thermal Systems Division at JSC. I am a project engineer for the Advanced Extravehicular Activity (AEVA) team, working on the designs for the next generation space suits that astronauts will wear on the Moon and Mars. I split my time with engineering tasks, coordinating my team’s education outreach efforts, and hosting live interactive videoconferences on space-related topics with NASA’s Digital Learning Network.

Outside of work I have many hobbies. I love to travel and cook. I am currently learning Italian, and I have also studied Russian. I SCUBA dive whenever I get the chance -- it’s especially fun in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory watching the astronauts work with my hardware! I teach hip-hop dance, salsa, and kickboxing classes at a local gym. And most importantly, I love spending time with my dog, Molly!