As an undergraduate at St. Mary's College of California, you majored in "Great Books." Which of the 'great books" do you hold above all others?

It is the Odyssey. I wrote my senior thesis proving Odysseus’ journey home was a dream, using Life is a Dream and the Leviathan. It changed Odysseus’ journey from a hero’s quest to a dream full of symbolic lessons and encounters he needed to learn before he returned home from war.

You love puzzles. What kind of puzzles do you find the most fun and/or challenging? 

I enjoy riddles most of all. I’m a big fan of wordplay. I also enjoy crossword puzzles

From earning a bachelor's degree in French Studies at Portland State University to the brink of earning a JD at Boyd 10 years later...a lot probably happened in between, yes?

It certainly did! After getting a degree in French Studies, I was a freelance make-up artist for a while, and if you could do that in the Pacific Northwest and also eat, I would still probably be doing that today. I ultimately became the Cosmetic Department Assistant Manager for Nordstrom but had no desire to pursue a career in retail. I took a job with Chase Bank and, five years later, was a Private Client and Small

Tell us about your undergrad years studying chemistry at Syracuse University? 

It was rigorous and challenging. Biology, physics, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry were among the spectrum of classes required for my major. Learning to admit which skills needed more work, or that I needed to develop, to perform well became a great lesson before entering the real world. It wasn’t the best feeling when I stayed in all weekend to study while my friends were out enjoying themselves, but through that, I had to develop a level of discipline and balance which has proven helpful

As an undergraduate at UNLV, you studied in China for a semester. How did that go?

It was a fantastic experience. I went my sophomore year and ended up living there for about six months. I backpacked a lot, immersed myself in the culture, and experienced a country completely different from ours. I believe it was my first real culture shock and actually became a real advantage for law school — learning how to forget everything you thought you knew and trying to see things from new perspectives
 
What class at Boyd was the most challenging for you?

The most difficult class at Boyd for me would

Tell us about your work last summer in the Governor's Office in Carson City.
 
I had the fortunate opportunity to work on a number of things. I helped write and edit the final report of the Governor’s Committee on Energy Choice. My first task was to learn all that I could on energy deregulation. The Committee itself was tasked to find out all that they could about energy deregulation, Question 3, and come up with a report proposing recommendations to the members of the next legislative session and detailing their findings. The other work that I did this summer was with writing a Bill Draft

How did your work in the Peace Corps sway you toward law school?

While in the Peace Corps in Guatemala, I worked alongside dedicated professionals in municipal Women’s Offices. These offices were created to provide a wide variety of services and programs, but the mission was often ignored and the federal funding re-routed to other projects. I did my best to help the staff fulfill their mission despite these challenges but was frustrated that I couldn’t address the root of the problem. I faced similar frustrations working on constituent casework while employed by Senator Reid – often having to

Tell our readers about your path to becoming principal violist for the Henderson Symphony Orchestra.  
 
In the summer before the final year of my undergraduate studies I was still seriously considering pursuing a master’s degree in music. My orchestra director here at UNLV—Professor Taras Krysa—was the musical director of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra, and he encouraged me to apply. I was thrilled when I won the audition. The HSO programs a lot of bold repertoire that you don’t often get to perform at a university-level orchestra. I know that the discipline that it required has made me a

Before you joined us, what Boyd insight did you get from your sister Katlyn (Boyd '16)?

In terms of observations, I definitely saw just how hard law school is, and how much work it would take to be successful. In terms of advice, she told me to take advantage of every opportunity to meet and talk with my professors. She also told me to find a solid study group so that I had people to both bounce ideas off of, and act as a support group when one of us had the inevitable “I’m in over my head” panic attack.

What was the most important thing you learned last year as a 1L?

Balance is key. You

Tough question: Of your many and varied experiences at Boyd, which rises above the others?

During my time as a student attorney in the Misdemeanor Clinic, my student co-counsel and I got a seven-year-old conviction vacated. Our client never gave his prior attorney permission to plead guilty on his behalf, but his prior attorney pled guilty anyway. The judge granted our request to vacate the conviction and we negotiated a better deal for our client. From this and other experiences in the clinic, I learned what being an advocate truly means and cannot wait to continue advocating for others.

Wh

Your undergraduate study and work experience prior to law school were in the computer/information technology field. How do you anticipate that background will meld with your legal career? 

I think my technical background will blend nicely with my legal career. As technology continues to advance, I anticipate my computer science/information technology experience will position me uniquely in the Nevada legal community, namely in intellectual property, gaming, and cyber-security law. 

Tough call, I'm sure, but what's been your signature moment as a student at Boyd?

That is tough! I have had so