I was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, although it may be well hidden by my appreciation of the expression “hella” and east coast cities. After graduating with honors and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, I was motivated to develop my engineering and scientific research skills in grad school instead of going to work. I chose to come to California and UC Davis because of the great weather and people here, and the entrepreneurial culture. When I’m not mincing menisci, I enjoy hiking, skiing, sailing, playing tennis, and learning about beer and wine.