Alex has held a passion for the environment since a very young age. This passion led her to study marine biology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. During her studies, she traveled abroad to Australia to study adaptations in coral reefs at James Cook University. After graduating with her Bachelor of Science degree, she worked on the Great Barrier Reef as a marine biologist, teaching species identification and marine conservation. Once her visa expired, she moved to the British Virgin Islands to teach marine biology at Sail Caribbean. She earned her PADI dive instructor certification and became captain of a 50 foot sailing vessel and taught sailing, diving, and marine biology to high school students where her true passion for teaching emerged. Alex moved to San Diego in 2014 and taught marine biology at SEACAMP San Diego for a year before deciding to pursue a career in formal education. She earned her Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction and her single subject teaching credential in science from the University of San Diego. Alex has been teaching biology and environmental science in southeast San Diego for the past 6 years. She has also sailed from Australia to Papua New Guinea, developed curriculum for a nonprofit organization that connects young people exiting the juvenile justice system with nature, and studied inclusive and special education policies and practices in Cambodia. She enjoys life in sunny San Diego and spends her free time walking her dog, sailing, kayaking, camping, and just recently, roller skating.