I am a native Floridian, born and raised in Palm Beach County. I earned degrees in Botany (B.S.) and Plant Medicine (Ph.D.) from the University of Florida and worked in south Florida's "Green Industry" for more than two decades before joining UF/IFAS. I spent a decade in production ornamentals and estate home landscapes before taking an active interest in food production. This lead to another decade working as a private crop consultant on vegetable farms from Martin to Miami-Dade County. In my 6th year with UF/IFAS Palm Beach County Extension, my work with local vegetable farmers continues and I relish my new responsibilities and experiences with tropical fruit and their producers.