BIOGRAPHY I was born near Munich, Germany and grew up in the scenic and lush landscape of the alpine foothills. My strong and lasting interest in nature and the environmental sciences is largely due do my parents who fostered an understanding of the local flora and fauna for as long as I can remember. I credit my father with my observational powers and am grateful for inheriting my mother's practial skills. During my travels through Europe and the United States, I became fascinated with the unique and ever changing landscape patterns and eventually decided to study Geography and Anthropology in California. I received a BA (magna cum laude) and completed coursework at the graduate level in Geography, with an emphasis in Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, and Computer Cartography. Together with my husband, I spent many years growing a software development company before trading the entrepreneurial lifestyle for a staff position at a private university. My greatest professional accomplishement to date is my contribution towards several innovative software simulations which helped eliminate the use of lab animals for surgical training.