Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch. 

Published June 21, 2018.

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. I lived there and later lived in Lincoln, Nebraska. Most recently, I was living in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which is known as the home of Little League! I worked at a small reptile zoo there; that job brought me to Rochester for a few months where I was running a frogs exhibit at RMSC. While I was here, I fell in love with Rochester. I started to look for jobs in the area, and saw a posting for Chief Entomologist at the Museum of Play. I got the job and I’ve been here for two years now!

My title now is “Live Collections Supervisor,” so I like to say I’m in charge of all the animals there except the people. My background is in animal care, but the Museum of Play also wanted someone who had some education experience and was good with kids, so it turned out to be a great fit!

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

I love how much there is to do here without it feeling overwhelming. I’ve lived for a couple months at a time in Atlanta and Boston. There’s so much traffic and there are so many people. Here, there’s something to do every weekend, but you don’t get lost in the hustle or waste 5 hours a day sitting in traffic.

What are some of your favorite Rochester spots? 

I’ve befriended the owners of Get Caked, so that’s a favorite spot for sure. Their bakery is one of the things that attracted me to Rochester in the first place! Other favorites include Park Ave Fest, the Village Gate area, and Hart’s.

What's the most unique event you've attended in Rochester? 

Park Ave Fest is one event I always make sure I get to. Another favorite is REXPO, which they always hold in November at the Armory. It’s an opportunity for local people who are passionate about reptiles to come together! I breed sand boas and hope to have my own table at REXPO someday.

What are some of your favorite nonprofits to support? 

Lollypop Farm is wonderful. I take my dog there for training, and it’s such a great place. They take such good care of animals there.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time? 

I’d probably walk up and down Park Ave. Maybe go to Parkleigh. Or I’d make an effort to go somewhere I haven’t gone yet. Maybe a trampoline park or Rock Ventures. Or I’d hit up the zoo--I love our zoo!

What's your favorite neighborhood? 

Park Ave--especially during Park Ave Fest. The whole neighborhood is super walkable. Stever’s Chocolates is the best. There are tons of bakeries, plus Parkleigh, and salons like Hair World, where I get my hair cut.

Best place to get a garbage plate? 

Dogtown--that’s where I got my first garbage plate! Their hot dogs are just amazing. And so huge!

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

I work in a tropical greenhouse garden five days a week. Watching a blizzard while surrounded by butterflies in 70-80 degree weather is a pretty great coping mechanism.

What is your favorite Rochester memory?

When I lived in Rochester for two months and started to fall in love with it, that period of time stands out. People kept telling me, “Go check this out,” and I’d discover so many new things. I walked to work at RMSC every day.

Meeting my girlfriend is another high point too. We met online and then met up in person at Equal Grounds. It’s such a fun, friendly little cafe. Rochester has a solid LGBT community. I participate in the RocAutoStraddle group, which is a queer women’s group, and we all just go out for coffee or dinner, or hang out in the park. There are lots of rainbow flags around Rochester, and I feel safe here.

What makes Rochester unique?

The size to stuff to do ratio is unique. Plus we have lots of local businesses here. I try to support them when I can--like Hart’s, Parkleigh, etc. There are always new ones opening up, and I really enjoy that. We have festivals all summer, basically until it gets cold. The Holiday Bazaar at RMSC is basically an outdoor festival that they shove inside. It’s tons of fun every year and great for finding unique Christmas gifts.

What do you think could be improved?

The income/racial disparity issue is pretty apparent--there’s a huge gap between the highest and lowest paid people in the area, and there’s a racial tie to that. Where you live can be so blocked off, too.

There’s a real need for affordable housing, too. It’s difficult to find. Many places don’t allow dogs, and pets are increasingly important. We need more affordable housing that’s also pet friendly. Landlords could start looking for vet records or Canine Good Citizen Certifications to make the process a little smoother instead of flat-out rejecting pets.

If Rochester was a butterfly, what kind of butterfly would it be?

It would be a common morpho. When its wings are closed while it’s resting, it’s brown. When its wings are open, it’s a bright, metallic blue. Lots of people don’t look past the outside, but it has a lot to offer if you look past its surface!

What advice would you give to someone who's new to Rochester and wants to get to know the area?

Follow lots of social pages, like I Heart ROC, Visit Roc, and other local groups that interest you (like REXPO and RocAutoStraddle for me). Follow every museum and cool place, and look for meetup groups. You’ll naturally pick up more and more from there--they all branch out.