Biographical Sketch:
I was born and grew up in the Phoenix, Arizona, where finding a native is not an easy task. After four years at Arcadia High School in East Phoenix. I travelled to Northwest Indiana and spent my undergraduate years at Valparaiso University. My first four college years were spent with more attention to fun than work, and I lived at the Sigma Pi Fraternity House (Beta Tau Chapter) for two years. After graduation in May of 1981, I found employment with Best Western International at the headquarters near my home. I worked as a Reservations Agent, Customer Relations Clerk, and a Network Control Operator over my career at 'BW.' In 1989, I decided I wanted to read and write for a living and began attending Arizona State University in Tempe. With the guidance of Dr. Roger Murray, I completed my M.A. in Literature in May of 1992. My Ph.D. program was completed under the guidance of Dr. Randel Helms, Dr. O.M. Brack, and Dr. Mark Lussier. I defended my dissertation and graduated in December of 1997. My dissertation was a scholarly edition of "The Book of Beginnings," a poem written by Leigh Hunt. Since earning my Ph.D., I pursued an interest in the stock market by studying Finance as an undergraduate at ASU. During my studies in Finance, I particularly enjoyed courses with Dr. Jennifer Juergens, Arthur Budolfson, and Dr. Glenn Wilt. My finance program was completed in December of 2004. I am currently attending the School of Information Resources and Library Science (SIRLS) at the University of Arizona in Tucson and just graduated with an MLS in May of 2006.