I was born in St. Louis, MO after my parents migrated to the U.S. from the Philippines. I lived in Missouri for nine years (Rolla and Sedalia) before moving with my parents and younger sister Camille to Evansville, IN.
There, I attended middle school, high school, and college. I'm particularly grateful to the teachers across my educational journey who have always believed in me, supported me, and been invested in my success and well-being. I hope to pay it forward in my academic career.
After staying close to home through my undergraduate studies, I've loved getting to experience East Coast life in the DMV area as a PhD student. I'm looking forward to returning to the Midwest and Missouri as an assistant professor.
In my free time, I enjoy crocheting, knitting, reading, and taking walks with my husband, Adam. I'm a Veep, Succession, and Dancing with the Stars enthusiast (but unfortunately lack any dance ability myself).