Originally from Rolling Prairie, Indiana, I grew up in a rural community spending much of my time playing and working outdoors. After earning a BFA in Philosophy from Wabash College and some extended periods of living abroad, I settled as a forest service botanist in central Idaho for five years. It was through working for the Payette National Forest that Dr. David Tank welcomed me into his University of Idaho Biology Department Lab. Currently, I am a graduate student researching the biogeographic patterns of alpine and subalpine plants in central Idaho, with interests in botany, ecology, and floristics. Long distance running, mountain biking, backpacking, fishing, and singing are some other interests of mine. Also, I enjoy encouraging my wife as she grows in her professional mountain biking career.