My love affair with words started early. As a precocious and endlessly curious child, I read my first book by age 3 and wrote my first story, complete with illustrations, by age 5. You could say I was born a Word Nerd. 

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My first dive into forensics was actually when I became fascinated by forensic pathology, around age 8. I wanted to be the doctor who determined the method and manner of death. 

 

This lasted for nearly 10 years, when my attention shifted from pathology to law enforcement. I spent six years as a military police officer, where I had plans to work my way to having a K9 partner. 

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For many reasons, not the least of which was wanting to be a mom, I shifted my career path once more and became a teacher. For the next 20 or so years, I taught all ages and many different subjects. Eventually, I settled into being a middle and high school English teacher and my love for words and stories became my bread and butter. 

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Now my kids are grown, my husband is retired, and I am back in school. The siren call of criminology began to sound louder and I returned to school to pursue both my passion for words AND law enforcement. I am half way through dual programs, a PhD in Rhetoric program at Texas Woman's University and a Master of Science degree in Linguistics from University of North Texas. I should be done by Fall of 2024 and will complete my transition to Subject Matter Expert in Forensic Linguistics and Rhetoric. 

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But I will always be a Word Nerd.

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