I worked for Kiewit Western as a field engineer, where I developed a passion for civil engineering by working on the trans-American fiber-optic cable installation project. Then I joined the US Army as a combat research engineering officer. While in the Army, I took a job at Pima Community College teaching online math. Due to a family tragedy, I was forced to leave the Army and pursue a job that kept me close to home and my young kids. I then started teaching at a local High School and quickly discovered that I could make a difference to my kids, not only as a math, science, and engineering teacher, but as a mentor. As my passion for the education profession grew, so did my desire to become a better teacher. I graduated from Arizona State University with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and Secondary Educational Technology. Then I had the audacity to do more, and I graduated with my PhD in Engineering, to unite my two passions.