I've wanted to "be a botanist" since I was 6 years old and have collected wildflower field guides my whole life. My studies started in ecology but took a turn toward a different career. I love hiking and bush-whacking, finding unusual plants, foraging for edible mushrooms, and teaching my kids about the natural world. Now later in life, I'm returning to this life-long love and going back to school to pursue further education in botany and ecology.