I completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at Texas A&M University, my primary focus being plant molecular genetics with emphasis on plant genetic engineering. This was followed by Post-Doctoral work in plant metabolic engineering with Andrew Hanson at the University of Florida. I joined Syngenta as a staff scientist in 2000 and held various roles in trait gene discovery and trait development for GM applications primarily in maize. My work primarily focused on response to water deficit and yield formation. In 2017, I joined Inari Agriculture as a Science Director to help build the companies R&D capabilities. My technical activities include developing and deploying genome editing tools to facilitate trait development primarily in row crops.