About Me

I spent the first twenty-two years of my life growing up in the Chicago suburbs, raised by my wonderful parents and two older brothers. My connection to geology comes from the crossroads of culture and nature that my parents gave me throughout my life. Spending months at a time in Peru and Nicaragua left me in awe of the Andes and the volcanic landscapes of Nicaragua, and eager to learn about the earth we live on.

Growing up connected to my Peruvian and Nicaraguan roots led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in geology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I became interested in the mining industry after working with Dr. Josh Smith at UIUC, who taught me about exploration geology, ore deposits, and the industry as a whole. He showed me how exciting the field is and pushed me to pursue it.

When I’m not thinking about rocks, I’m most likely climbing them. Whenever the weather is good, I’ll be at a crag climbing my heart out. When I’m not outside, I’m either playing my PS5 or at a concert. I love live music and will always drop a pretty penny on my favorite bands.