I grew up in Selah, WA near the mouth of the Yakima River Canyon. I hunted for bugs and crawdads along the banks, learned to fly fish beneath the basalt canyon walls, explored its tributaries while hiking, and found refuge in the peace and calm it offered. My love of rivers serendipitously combined itself with my love of math, teamwork, and collaboration. Civil Engineering and water resource management seemed to fall right into my lap like it was meant to be. During high school, I took advanced math classes at the local community college and graduated with my Associates Degree. I later graduated magna cum laude with my Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering from Brigham Young University with a minor in Environmental Science. Now I'm working towards my Masters and Doctorate Degree in Water Resources Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. In each new place I have lived, I have become acquainted with the local river system and I hope to spend the rest of my life fighting to protect and preserve the many beautiful rivers snaking across our great county.