I am a native of the Finger Lakes Region of Western New York State. After graduating from the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Geneseo with a B.S. in biology in 2001 I moved to North Carolina. At NC State University I earned my M.S. degree in plant pathology in 2004. My thesis was titled “Biology and Epidemiology of Sclerotinia minor on Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).” I continued on with my doctoral research at NC State University and earned my Ph.D. in plant pathology in 2007. My dissertation title was “Improved Strategies for Controlling Sclerotinia blight of Peanut: Site-specific Disease Models and Advisory, Fungicide timing, and Pathogen Detection.” I then moved to Oklahoma State University where I was an assistant professor of plant pathology and horticulture extension pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology from 2007-2012. I conducted research on diseases of turfgrass, grapes, and pecans. I joined the faculty of the Department of Plant Pathology at The University of Wisconsin-Madison in September 2012. I was promoted to associate professor and extension plant pathologist in July 2018, and promoted again in July 2022 to professor and extension plant pathologist. I have research and management responsibilities for diseases of field crops including soybean, corn, wheat, and alfalfa.