I have always been fascinated by the unknown. What has perplexed me the most throughout my academic endeavors is that something as familiar as the human brain and the functions associated with it remains largely a mystery. This gap in knowledge has ultimately led me into the field of neuroscience and eventually to the Wenthur lab.

Although I was raised just south of Boston, Massachusetts, I completed my undergraduate studies with a B.S. in microbiology and minor in biochemistry at the University of Vermont. I worked in a neuroscience lab as a technician for a year while simultaneously completing a distinguished undergraduate research thesis investigating the role of chronic neuroendocrine stress and hypertension on cerebrovascular architecture. After studying stress, I knew that I wanted to continue my research career by studying therapeutic interventions for mental illness such as anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders.

I am currently a Ph.D student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I have joined Dr. Cody Wenthur’s lab to pursue my future research goals. During my graduate training, I hope to help uncover information on the fast-acting therapeutic potential that psychedelics such as psilocybin and dissociative anesthetics such as ketamine hold.

Outside of lab, I am a competitive Irish dancer for Trinity Academy of Irish Dance as well as a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s club Irish dance team, Sláinte. A fun fact about me is that I spend a lot of time drawing. I even submitted an art portfolio when applying to college in case I decided to study art instead of science.