I originally started my career as an art historian and fine artist. I attended the Maryland Institute College of Art, where I took various courses on drawing, painting, sculpture, art history, historic painting techniques, and critical theory. I quickly realized that I did not want to be an artist or an art historian; when I was in my studio classes, I missed the academic rigor and theory from my humanities courses, and when I was in my humanities courses, I missed working with my hands. I took my first conservation course as a study-abroad student in 2017, and I realized that conservation was the perfect combination of hands on work, art history and theory, and science.
After completing my Bachelors of Fine Art, I returned to Florence to complete a year long Post-Baccalaureate degree in Conservation and Restoration at the Studio Art College International, before moving back to the United States to gain further experience. In the United States, I interned at several museums and private practices, where I broadened my understanding of conservation by working with both modern and historic furniture, frames, and objects. I completed my Masters of Science in 2022 and my Post Masters in 2024 in the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage at the University of Amsterdam in the Wood and Furniture Specialization. There I conducted significant research on original bronze paint on 19th century frames, and on the material history of and treatment options for 19th century wax injected anatomical models. Through my coursework I discovered a passion for painted and gilded wood as well as for mixed organic objects, specifically for ethnographic objects and natural history collections.
It is a privilege to be able to work in this field and with such special objects; I feel lucky to be able to contribute to the art history I studied and to preserve cultural heritage for future generations. As such, I am a member of both Restauratoren Nederland and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and adhere to their values and code of ethics.