About

Biography

I grew up in Colorado. So, by law, I like the mountains, beer, and drive a Subaru. But unlike some other Coloradans I take no pride in living in the state with the lowest obesity rate. That statistic just makes me profoundly sad that the best our country has to offer is a state where one in five people are so overweight it puts their long-term health in jeopardy. The obesity epidemic is part of what motivated me to come back to graduate school. I have been focusing on which communication strategies can motivate people to view their health in a preventative, rather than reactive, manner. My thesis will look at the effect of humorous narratives on adolescents' intention to consume a more nutritious diet. I received my Bachelor's degree in Journalism from CSU and worked in that field for about five years. When I don't have my face buried in a textbook or my hands attached to a key board . . . well, I don't really remember what I like to do when I'm not doing those things. I have a four-year-old daughter, a girlfriend, and a dog I look forward to playing with more often once I graduate.