I am originally from Marion, Illinois and did not know that I wanted to be a veterinarian until my senior year of high school. However, as with all my career decisions, once made I became laser focused. I graduated early from Southern Illinois University and became part of the inaugural class for the new integrated curriculum at the University of Illinois. Following graduation, I did a rotating small animal internship at the University of Missouri and then stayed on for a comparative Ophthalmology residency. Prior to coming to the University of Illinois, I was the sole ophthalmologist in a private practice clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee.