I have a Bachelor's of Science in Natural Resources and studied geology and ecotourism. I lived and worked as an environmental consultant in New York City for five years. That had always been my plan and somewhere between the lawyers yelling and bureaucrats not returning my calls, I knew I needed a change. Unfortunately, I really had no idea where to go from there. I had to start from scratch and had never felt more vulnerable. I quit my job and took off on a year long odyssey that took me from New York across the country, through Mexico and much of Central America.
I dug for emeralds in North Carolina. In Colorado, I followed old prospectors through high mountain passes. I mined diamonds in Arkansas. I scoured creeks for opals in Mexico and Guatemala. I even took my search underwater in the bay of Honduras. The geologist and kid in me took over as I scanned the continent collecting all manner of rocks, gems, and minerals. As my collection grew I began perusing rock shows, started taking classes in lapidary and began looking for jewelry making classes.
As I scientist I'm drawn to precision, symmetry and order that lapidary provides. That's when it hit me that I had found my next profession. I found what I loved and have no other option but to make it my life.

I am now attending the Savannah College of Art and Design in the Metals and Jewelry program, and loving every day that I get to make something.