I grew up in Hartsdale, NY and spent a lot of after-school and vacation time exploring the woods, fields, ponds, and streams. After college, I joined the Peace Corps and spent several years working as a teacher in Costa Rica. I fell in love with the country, its people, and the incredible plant and wildlife.Back in New York City I worked as a bilingual teacher before beginning my writing career. I love science and I love writing about it. One of my favorite jobs was writing for the PBS NATURE series. For the last 12 years I've run the Young Naturalist Awards program at the American Museum of Natural History. At the Museum I have the opportunity to do a job I love and learn about science at the same time. In my free time I bike, play tournament Scrabble, and quilt.