I received my B.S. in Horticulture from Murray State University in western Kentucky in 1995 and have worked in the field of Horticulture or Grounds Maintenance ever since. I have honed my skills in industries such as golf courses, botanical gardens, landscape installation firms, parks & recreation, and now, here at beautiful Rice University.

As the Director of Campus Grounds & Landscape Design, I am over the day-to-day operation and implementation of everything from tree care, horticultural features, turfgrass maintenance, irrigation, pest control, and solid waste management. This exciting and dynamic role allows me to create and maintain a beautiful and safe campus for students, faculty, and staff, alike!

What I really enjoy most about my current position is that I get to use my years of experience to influence good decisions in our landscape choices across campus. Being able to work directly with landscape architects and designers to choose appropriate plants and to help them think outside the box to bring a new and fresh look to Rice's campus is very rewarding and exciting. I want campus to look beautiful and be a source of pride to all who attend or work here. It is also great to be able to share my passion for horticulture and grounds maintenance with my current staff and pass on knowledge to them.

Get as wide of an experience level as you can. I have lived and worked in four different states and in various different aspects of the industry. I feel like that broad base of knowledge has served me well. Also, never stop learning. Take classes and get certifications, and don't be afraid to stretch yourself. For example, I had been in the industry for 28 years when I decided to also become a Certified Arborist. There is always more to learn and the more you can offer a potential employer, the more attractive/valuable you become to them.

I don't think I have achieved it yet. In the vein of "never stop learning" I am currently taking an Applied Conservation Course from the Center for Plant Conservation. I have always been interested in conservation and our environment. One of my goals for our campuswide Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum is to start some conservation collections for Rice and get us involved in conserving threatened and endangered species. In fact, I already have several rare oaks and a rare Magnolia that only ranges into extreme east Texas that I am growing here on campus. We will be what is known as Species Stewards for these particular plants. They will be the start of Rice University's foray into plant conservation! If I can create a successful and sustainable conservation program for someone to take over when I retire, I'll consider that a great success!