I am highly qualified for the position of Division Councilor due to my previous experience on Council and the connections I made with other Councilors across the ACS and with ACS staff. I am currently an Alternate Councilor for CHED but for 6 years I was Councilor for the Southern Illinois Local Section (2011-2016), during which time I was a member of CEPA (Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs). On CEPA, I was chair of the subcommittee that writes and maintains the ACS ethical standards and guidelines for the employment of chemists in industry and academia. I also provided input on Society ethical matters pertaining to the ACS Bylaws and was involved with reviewing ACS Career Fairs and Career Consultants.

I am a tenured Associate Professor of Chemistry at Southeast Missouri State University.  My research is Chemistry Education, the focus of which is on three-dimensional teaching and outreach. My teaching projects include working with the ACS and faculty from multiple institutions on developing three-dimensional performance expectations for college general chemistry. I have developed unique outreach experiences such as Chemistry at the Farmer's Market and a demonstration show for BeTween, an expo for tweenaged girls. Lately, I have started research with in okra agricultural waste and utilizing it for textiles and improving water quality around textile dying facilities.

I graduated with a Ph. D. in Chemistry (research in Chemistry Education) in May 2003 from Arizona State University and was a Chemistry Education post-doc at University of Arizona (2003-2007). In 2005 I was awarded an NSF Discovery Corps Post-Doctoral Fellowship. I have received Southeast Missouri State University awards for Teaching Excellence (2019) and Outstanding Advising (2014), and the STEM College award for Service (2017).

As a professor at a small primarily teaching university, my time spent as an ACS Councilor has been professionally the most meaningful time that I have had due to the networking connections I have made that benefit my students and my community. Additionally, I cherish the feeling of personal accomplishment I gain from valuable service to the Society.