MAJOR:
History
Major:
History
and Political Science
DEGREE:
B.A. in History from
Florida Atlantic University 2013,
summa cum laude. Currently pursuing
a master’s degree at Florida State
University, School of Information,
Information Studies; MLIS degree
expected August 2015.
CURRENT
POSITION:
Library
Technician II, Archives at Palm
Beach State College. I am also an
author, historic researcher and president of the Boynton
Beach Historical Society, working on two books about Palm Beach County history
—a murder
mystery and a biography.
FIRST JOB:
My very first job was as a pool attendant at the Lawn Aqua Pool during the short
summer season in
Chicago. Part of the job was learning to dive down to the bottom of the 12-
foot deep pool, which led to my fondness of snorkeling and free diving in the clear waters of the
Atlantic Ocean and exploring shipwrecks.
BIGGEST
CHALLENGES:
My biggest challeng
e is finding time to do everything I need to do
versus what I want to do, which is to solve historical mysteries. As president of the historical
society, I search for historical photographs and documents from Palm Beach County’s early
days, using these pri
mary sources to tell stories of forgotten people and places.
BEST
FAU
MEMORY:
Dr. Eng
le leading our entire Senior Seminar class across the campus
and taking us to the library and up the stairs to the history section is something I will never
forget. I als
o remember Dr. Holloway teaching us about something called “revisionist history,”
which was a new concept for me. Since then I have forged a path into Palm Beach County’s
history by researching and publishing a revised history of Boynton Beach’s true founding
citizens in my book Pioneering Palm Beach (History Press, 2012).
ROLE DEPT. OF HISTORY PLAYED IN YOUR CAREER:
The history department
professors taught me to seek out primary sources such as land and legal records, newspapers,
diaries, correspondence,
receipts and other documents to develop ideas and hypotheses, rather
Photo by Tim Step
ien
, 2014
than relying on local folklore. Dr. Bennett taught me to “let the sources drive your paper” and
Dr. White showed me the FBI microfilm at the library. Dr. Norman encouraged me to think of
the many layers of our environmental history and to make historical connections.
GOAL:
My goal is to pursue a second master’s degree (in history) and to continue researching,
writing and lecturing on Florida history topics. I enjoy teaching, publishing and sharing my
passion for history with future scholars and generations of Floridians. My ideal job involves
leading a dynamic team of historians and information professionals in a library, archive and
museum setting; preserving, digitizing, describing and promoting historical treasures.
Favorite Book:
Books have always played a major role in my life. In my elementary school
days, the Nancy Drew Mystery Series were favorites. Those books led to my lifelong quest to
solve history mysteries. Today, many of my favorite books are pre
-1923 Florida history books
found on Google Books, Internet Archive and HathiTrust. Dr. James A. Henshall’s 1884
Camping and Cruising in Florida provides an intimate look into Florida during the pioneer era.
PERSONAL:
I am an intr
epid historic researcher with six published local history books. I am
passionate about Palm Beach County’s history and have 17 years’ experience in libraries,
museums and archives. I am available as a consultant for family history projects, books and
perso
nal archival collections. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, boating in Florida’s coastal
waters, and exploring old cemeteries. One of my recent discoveries involved a 100-
year
-old
photo album of important historical Palm Beach County images rescued, res
earched and shared
with the community.
