I was raised in Lassen County, way up in the Northeastern corner of California, which felt more like Nevada. Wooded mountains surrounded our valley, which was mostly sage brush and juniper trees, commercial cattle and sheep, and of course, wild horses. So growing up, the agriculture I was exposed to was animal production, alfalfa hay, and timber. I was a member of 4-H all through high school, and I was active in FFA, serving as Superior Region Vice President. I attended community college and transferred to Chico State, where I was a member of their livestock judging team and finished a bachelor's degree in Agriculture; later I completed a Master's degree in Education, with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction from Chapman University. I taught high school agriculture and was an FFA advisor at Lodi high for six years, then Escalon for twelve. Before coming to MJC, I taught animal science for three years at Delta College in Stockton.
Here at MJC, I teach two introductory courses in animal science (ANSC 200), and I teach the beef science class and its lab. I will also be teaching the beef fitting and showing class in the spring. Teaching the beef class goes hand-in-hand with my responsibilities as the professor in charge of the beef unit, a job I could not do without the help of hard-working and conscientious interns. So far this year, we have inventoried, cleaned, and organized the unit and office, started an online record-keeping system for the cattle, calved out five cute but onery calves, and will soon breed the cowherd this winter. The rest of the week is filled with the livestock judging class and getting team members prepared for contests. Without a doubt, livestock judging is a personal focus of mine, since livestock judging is what I credit for so much of the personal and professional growth I've experienced in my life. I hope that my efforts and time are as valuable to our students here as they were to me when I was once a young college student.
On a final note, I would like to thank the students, faculty, and staff at MJC for welcoming me into the family here. Everyone has been incredibly helpful, and I appreciate the guidance and advice from each and everyone of you!
