I am the research specialist for the Arriola Apelo lab! I grew up in Madison and did my undergraduate degree in zoology at the UW. My undergrad focused on ecology and wildlife conservation, and I got my start in the dairy sciences shortly after graduating as a lab technician for Dr. OJ Ginther. My time with Dr. Ginther was mostly dedicated to lab assays, primarily qPCR, ELISA, and radioimmuno assays. Following his retirement, I helped deconstruct his lab and continued doing lab work with his colleague Dr. Wiltbank. I first started working with Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry units doing amino acid analysis in the Wiltbank lab, and method development/adaptation for this equipment is now my primary research focus in the Arriola Apelo lab. In addition to working with our mass spec equipment, I also validate and test other lab assays, maintain our lab space and equipment, train students in lab techniques, and manage the lab work for various projects.

Outside of the lab, I love spending time hiking, biking, and playing basketball when the weather is nice. All of the summer festivals and events are also a must! In the colder months, I love to read, cook, game, and ice skate.