In my life beyond computers, I am a competitive ballroom dancer. I began dancing as a young girl. In September of 2014, I joined the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Competition Team. Three short years later, my partner and I earned the title of Bronze Smooth National Champions. I am now dancing with the CMU Ballroom Team. In 2021, my partner and I became Collegiate National Champions in Novice Standard. In 2024, we once again earned National titles in Novice Standard.
Growing up I played nearly every sport imaginable. When the time came to officially pick between Softball or Track & Field for the Spring season, my dad encouraged me toward softball saying, "You can always come back to running in the future". He was certainly right. Around 2017 I started running local 5ks with him. In 2023 we ran our first Half Marathon together, and in 2024 we both conquered our first Full Marathon. Yes it's cliche, but training for a Marathon changed my life forever. It taught me so much about how to show up for myself, listen to my body, and trust in my own inner strength. It gave me hope and clarity while navigating an abusive relationship and a demanding graduate program. And finally, it ignited my passion for nutrition, health, and optimized performance. I hope to combine these passions with my technical expertise to continue building a fulfilling career in computational genomics, biology, nutrition, and/or pharmaceuticals.
I am always up for an adventure, and I love to explore new places. I have had the opportunity to go on numerous fantastic trips throughout both my childhood and adult life. Some of my favorites include Washington DC, Portland, The Bahamas, Budapest, London, Paris, Switzerland,and Portugal. I was fortunate to spend extended time in both Australia and Japan through study abroad programs during my undergraduate studies. One of my life goals is to visit all 7 Wonders of the World. I am excited to initiate that quest with a trip to Machu Picchu in the Summer of 2025.