I’m a mother of three maniacs. I have a dog, four cats, and a chinchilla. I have thirty houseplants of which I am very fond. And my journey into digital forensics doesn’t look like most.

I was an English Lit major in college back in the early 2000s. Like most English majors, I heard the constant refrain of “HAVE A BACKUP PLAN.” So in addition to my BA in English, I also earned a degree in Computer Information Systems. My first job out of college was in web development, and web development is how I spent the first 15 years of my career.

In 2017, a single mom, I found myself feeling VERY middle managey and burned out. I couldn’t be more proud of what I was accomplishing with my team of developers, but I had a choice to make. Either invest a lot of time and resources into bringing my own coding skills up to date, or make a big change. 

I opted for the latter and waded into digital forensics. First enrolling in Champlain College’s digital forensics program, then landing an incredible internship, then graduating, then independent contracting, then coming on full time with the company for whom I had interned. 

Most days, I can’t believe I’m here. It is the coolest job on earth. So, now I’m ready to share what I’m learning, how I go about learning it, and maybe help out another examiner or researcher the way my amazing mentors have done. I’m also reeeeaalllly hopeful to have some engagement so I can continue to learn as well. Let’s dig!