Biography
My interest started in anthropology in high school after reading books on forensic anthropology. I came to Florida State University in 1997 (BA, 2001) and pursued a major in anthropology taking a variety of classes including Human Osteology and Paleonutrition which led me to my focus as a zooarchaeologist. I came back to FSU to complete my Masters (MS, 2008) where I did an osteometric analysis of prehistoric domestic dogs in the southeast. While in the department I was provided with other fascinating opportunities including creating molds and casts of artifacts and fossils, a trip to Ethiopia to excavate for hominids, illustrations (including the DepartmentÂfs poster), along with analyzing faunal and human remains. During my time there I had the chance to work at the Southeast Archeological Center, National Park Services (SEAC) to conduct fieldwork and zooarchaeological work at historic and prehistoric sites at Cumberland Island National Seashore, Tyndall Air Force Base, Abraham LincolnÂfs Boyhood Home, Andersonville Prison site, and Fort Rosalie in Natchez, Mississippi.
After moving to Gainesville to work at Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. (SEARCH, Inc.) as a zooarchaeologist I have continued doing fieldwork and faunal analysis from sites throughout the eastern US and the Caribbean. I have also continued a close relationship with SEAC and FSU Anthropology. I occasionally have the opportunity to assist in doing faunal analysis for the park service and am currently working on research with park service archaeologist on freshwater snails. My interests include prehistoric domestic dogs, zooarchaeology and what information these avenues can reveal about prehistoric cultures. My research has led me be to coauthor papers and posters for the Society of American Archaeology, Florida Anthropological Society, Southeastern Archaeological Conference, and the Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution. I have also coauthored articles in the Florida Anthropologist and the Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History.
I now work for the National Park Service's, Southeast Archeology Center, at Innovation Park, here in Tallahassee