About Me

I am a San Francisco native and a University of California Berkeley graduate with an undergraduate degree in Physiology and a Masters in Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences. I spent many years studying the health effects of numerous hazardous substances. Much of this research has been used in the development of air and drinking water standards for the California Environmental Protection Agency. I have also worked as a scientific expert on environmental law cases. I most recently studied the role of science in health and environmental policymaking. In particular, I examined how the tobacco industry has manipulated scientific evidence and public opinion to undermine laws to restrict public smoking.

In addition to teaching at City College of San Francisco from 2007 through 2020, I was manager of the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park and helped form a partnership for stewardship of the center and park with bay.org. From 2012 through 2015, students enrolled in Sustainability 91: Applied Research in Sustainability work experience course, assisted EcoCenter staff with the operations, maintenance, monitoring, research, and educational programming at this amazing off-grid example of sustainability in the built environment. I hope to one day revitalize and replicate these efforts.

Some of my favorite activities/adventures include: camping, hiking, dancing, gardening, knitting, ping-pong, traveling from one end of Africa to the other in a truck, walking in the rainforests of Costa Rica, living in Europe, and working as a stage and voice actor. Above all else, I enjoy just being with my identical twin daughters and husband.

My work and life experience allowed me to bring a unique perspective to my teaching. I always strove to put the material covered in context and to demonstrate the importance of being scientifically literate so we can all make informed choices as voters and consumers.