My Formation History

I grew up in the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota, where I fell in love with the night sky, hiking, cross-country skiing, and especially, long-distance running. For my undergraduate education, I attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison (go Badgers!), which gave me the opportunity to grow my running hobby and also earn a degree in Astrophysics (best of both worlds!). About mid-way through my degree, I transitioned from Club running to half and full marathons. I also started going on a lot of trips to National Parks (hoping to visit them all some day?). I've featured a selection of some of my favorite photos from these trips below!

Paddle boarding on a Minnesota lake.
Grand Teton mountain range with a lake in the foreground.
A creek running through a narrow valley in the Teton mountains.

A frozen lake amidst the Rocky Mountains.
The St. Louis Arch - yes, it's a National Park.
The 'Grand Canyon' of Yellowstone National Park.

After graduating, I extended my tenure in the midwest by moving to Bloomington, Indiana to pursue a PhD in Astronomy. After being limited to a virtual race experience for the 2020 Boston marathon, I finally re-qualified and ran the 2025 Boston marathon - in Boston (and it was a blast)! The somewhat warmer climate of southern Indiana left me itching for a winter activity, so I also picked up climbing and recreational league ultimate frisbee. If you're ever in the Bloomington area, and need some running recommendations, or a running pal, feel free to reach out!


About a mile to go to finish the 2023 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.
At the finish of the 2025 Boston Marathon.

Most importantly, I adopted a very silly but sweet orange cat named Kylo in 2024 (yes, I would like to see pictures of your cat as well).


My first time holding Kylo after adopting him.
Kylo giving a silly face.