Please include details about your educational background and what sparked your interest in atmospheric or related sciences.

Meteorology has been a part of me since I was only seven years old when Category 5 Hurricane Andrew devastated my hometown of Miami, FL in August 1992. That experience with Mother Nature gave me the drive and inspiration to where I am today. I graduated from the University of Miami in 2008 as the first student to receive a Bachelor of Science in Communication in both Meteorology and Broadcast Journalism. I interned at the weather departments of CNN in Atlanta, WTVJ NBC 6, WSVN Channel 7 FOX, and WFOR CBS 4 in Miami. I even was highly involved as a writer, reporter and weather forecaster for UMTV’s award winning show “Newsvision.” I was even a storm spotter for the National Weather Service Office in Miami.

What was your first job in the field and how did you end up in the job you are in now?

In 2009, I left the Sunshine State of Florida & the hurricanes behind and headed out to the Show-Me-State of Missouri. I lived first in Joplin working for a short time at KOAM-TV as their Weekend Meteorologist. In April 2011, I moved to the northern part of the state to Kirksville and KTVO-TV to work as their Bilingual English/Spanish Meteorologist and Reporter. In February 2017, I crossed over to the Sunflower State to Topeka, Kansas at KSNT-TV where I worked as their Meteorologist and Multimedia Journalist. In December 2017, I headed back to Missouri to be the Morning Meteorologist and Feature Reporter at KQ2 (KQTV) in St. Joseph. I got the chance to experience all four seasons during my 10 years in the Midwest, from the snowy and cold winters to severe weather and tornadoes in spring to the hot and dry summers to the cool and changing colors in the fall and the sunny skies in between. I’m now the Sunrise/Midday Meteorologist at WCBI-TV in Columbus, Mississippi as of December 2019.

What opportunities did you pursue that you knew would be beneficial to securing a job in the profession?

I’ve been involved with the AMS since I was a college student, when I was awarded an AMS Minority Scholarship. I also became a founding member of the University of Miami AMS Student Chapter and attended the AMS Annual Conferences in San Diego (2005), Atlanta (2006) and San Antonio (2007) as a Student Volunteer. I was awarded the American Meteorological Society’s Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (AMS CBM) Seal in February 2019. It’s been by far the best and proudest moment of my career. I have been honored to continue being a part of the AMS throughout my broadcast meteorologist career as I’ve attended the AMS Broadcast Conferences in Austin, Kansas City, and Boston. I’ve also recently was asked to become an AMS Community Champion and appointed to a three year term to the AMS Station Scientist Committee to help meet and share my passion for weather with others.

What other courses/skills beyond the required math and science courses do you think would be the most helpful to individuals wanting a career in your profession?

You have to have passion, be kind to others, and don't be afraid to be a leader. I can't tell you how many people I've helped inspire simply because they saw how much I love what I do.

What is your typical day on the job like?

At my current job at WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi, I wake up Monday through Friday around midnight & get ready for the day ahead. While eating breakfast at 1:30 am, I'm looking over the latest forecast models and read notes my Chief Meteorologist emails me from the night before to help start getting my morning show forecast together. I get into the station around 2 am to build my graphics and get my weather station ready for the show. I record a website weather forecast and CBS Morning Show cut-ins at 4 am. We do our "Sunrise" morning show from 4:30 through 8 am. In between my live TV hits, I'm also updating the station website, doing social media posts, putting together a forecast for the Columbus Dispatch (the local newspaper) and record radio hits for six local area radio stations. I'll take a nap and a break after the morning show and come back in around 10:30 am to do our "Midday" noon show. I usually get home about 1:30 pm and try to enjoy the rest of the day before I go to bed around 5 pm to do it all over again the next day.

What do you like most about your job? What is the most challenging thing about your job?

I'm a happy person and I'm one of those people that loves to make people laugh and help them get their day going. Being on the morning show helps me to show more of my personality. I also love that I get the chance to help the viewers understand how the world of weather works and how it's going to impact their schedule or plans. The sleeping schedule is most definitely the most challenging part. Not easy going to bed sometimes when the sun is still out and getting up in the middle of the night when you want to try and sleep a bit more. Saturday mornings is my time to sleep in when I need to catch up on sleep.

Does your job allow for a good work/life balance? If not, why?

Being a broadcast meteorologist is definitely a career you need to have a flexible schedule and have a great support system that completely understands it. Weather never takes a day, night, or holiday off and is ever changing... especially with severe weather situations. I had to move away from my family and hometown to follow my dreams and make them come true. I've had to sacrifice not attending many family/friends events or gatherings because I simply couldn't take the time off to go home. I do want to get married and have a family of my very own someday, but the pieces of that puzzle haven't fully come together yet... I'm still working on it. I have though been able to see so many places and meet so many wonderful people and make life long friends through being in this field. You just have to try and make the most and best of it.

Over the course of your career what is the most exciting thing that has happened to you?

Getting my AMS CBM Seal. I've unfortunately have met people in my career & life who have doubted me and underestimated me of what I'm capable of in this field simply because I'm "different" from others. Getting my seal helped proved to them but most importantly myself that I can overcome any type of difficult task and that you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. Never judge a book by its cover because you never know how beautiful the pages inside it can truly be.

Is there anything you wish you had done differently in your career?

I think about that a lot. There will be times in your career you will fall down and fail. I can't tell you how many of those situations I've had throughout my life and career, but you need those failures to help you grow and become a stronger person to get up and work hard towards your successes. Always follow your heart and never doubt yourself. If at first you don't succeed... just try again. Don't give up.

What are some “must haves’’ on a resume if a person wants to gain employment in your field?

A college degree in meteorology. Enthusiasm and passion. Lots and lots of experience from the unpaid (like internships to job shadowing) to the paid positions, even getting your seals. Your first job as broadcast meteorologist is not going to be the most glamorous. You will most likely have to move to a very small town and you will most likely make very little money, but you need to learn a lot and get your feet wet in that position to help you make that next big step. This is an ever changing business so always try to learn something new everyday no matter how many years of experience you have.