I received by Bachelors of Science degree in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution prior to completing veterinary school at the University of Illinois in 2004. I was in small animal practice for 2 years while completing a Masters of Science focusing on Conservation Medicine. I then went on to complete a three-year residency in Zoological Medicine at the University of Tennessee and Knoxville Zoo before finally returning to the University of Illinois to join the faculty in 2009. Concurrently, I completed a PhD in Wildlife Epidemiology investigating ranavirus in free-ranging chelonians in the US. Since that time, I have taught, provided clinical service, and performed research in the epidemiology of infectious and non-infectious diseases of free-ranging and managed wildlife. Currently, I am in a joint position as the Director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at the University of Illinois and Director of Conservation Medicine and Science at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. I have authored/co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and 250 national presentations on wildlife and zoological medicine.