I was born in 1973 in a small town in New Jersey called Harmony! I had one older sister at the time soon to be joined by four more, 2 more sisters and 3 more brothers! I grew up in a very large household you could say!

My father was and still is a minister and my mother was always there for us, as a stay home mom ...the hardest job in the world I must say! Of course, over time the family has expanded. I now have 3 nieces, 1 nephew and one on the way.

Many ask how I got started in bodybuilding. Well, you have to go back to the beginning at the age of 7.At this age, I started competing in my first sport, and that was swimming. I was a very, very skinny kid, mind you! I did not do too well as a swimmer, until I was 14 when my body started to develop. I became very good at the breast stroke! I received many awards as a swimmer after the age of 14. I became the strongest breast-stroker on my team, eventually. I was also a good free style swimmer. I continued to compete in swimming all the way until the age of 18. After the age of 18 and while home for the summer from college , I coached. I did this for three years.

I went to a small private Christian high school in Pennsylvania. There I started to play basketball, soccer and track. I tried one year of volleyball... but it conflicted with soccer. Basketball became my love! I found it was a sport I was good at. I ended up holding the record for the most steals (over 500 career steals, and most career points.. 825). I was a two time MVP as well.

My plan was to go on and play in college. (by the way on a side note, I anticipate both of these records to be broken soon by none other than my super talented younger sister Elizabeth). At this time, we did not have a women's soccer team in high school, so I played on the men's team. I am not an advocate of women playing on men’s teams, but I had to do it in order to be able to play in college.I had several schools look at me for basketball, but I really wanted to go to a Christian college and I knew Liberty University had a Division I women's soccer team as my sister played her freshman year! before other responsibilities with her major caused her to have to quit.

I walked onto the soccer team and received a scholarship to play. I played a bit my freshman year, but as you know most freshman don’t get to play much and I was playing as a wing which was “my position” as I was fast.

One game my sophmore year early in the season, our fullbacks were not doing so hot. I begged the coach to put me at full back...I played my an awesome game that day. The coach came up to me and told me I found my place on the field. I ended up starting as a full back my sophomore through senior year. I was tough and fast which made me good back there. My dad taught me never to cry on the field. NOR was I ever to stay down no matter how bad it hurt! He taught us kids to be tough! ( Although he was a gentle father) During my years of soccer, I endured three knee surgeries, but never missed a game! I received the award for defensive player of the year my senior year. I played with a fantastic group of women! It was while I was in college as a soccer player, that I first began lifting weights.

All growing up I had a muscular build, although very skinny. In college I found I liked training and started the desire to be a bodybuilder. I wanted to look like Lenda Murray or Cory Everson. When I graduated and moved home, in 1997 I decided...time to do it kid! I started training and in 1999 I did my first NPC show, the WOMEN’s EXTRAVEGANZA as a middleweight of about 124 pounds. I took second. The next day was the NPC East Coast, where I again took second to Mona Caravetta who went on to take 6th the following week at the Nationals. However, I met a wonderful man that day, STEVE STONE, who to this day remains a friend. He took me aside and said, the reason you took second was because of this, this and this. I said “OK, I now know what to do for next year!” He said “NO, do it all this week and do the Eastern USA next week in NYC.” So, I did it. I did what he said, and came in to win not only my class, but also the overall.

I was thrilled. My goal was then to come in the next year, 2000 as a lightweight. I figured I was 124 but could have been tighter and make 118. So I met with my new trainer at the time, Pat Grieco. And my goal was to do the 2000 East Coast again and win this time. At the same time as he was getting me ready, he was getting Mona Caravetta ready for the Nationals. So we were dieting together, etc. At 6 weeks out from my show, I thought, “Hey I am qualified for the Nationals, Why not just do them.” We ran it by my trainer and he said, “WHY NOT!” I did the East Coast coming in the hardest I ever was and then went on the following week to the 2000 Nationals in NYC.

WOW! I WAS IN AWE! Here I am on stage with the best in the nation. I just hope to make top 15!! I was just there to get the experience. I had no expectation... We walked on stage, did our 60 seconds and our quarter turns. Imagine my excitement when I was the second call out. I was sure they called the wrong number. But there I was, standing there good enough to be in the top 5.

At the night show when they were announcing the winners ...and they called third place, and I was still standing there. Me and Jen Lupi... I was dying inside, excited, but hoping I didn’t win, as I was not ready yet to be pro. I took second. A very exciting second place ! I decided to try again in 2001. In 2001, I ran into the problem of being too big now to be a lightweight and having to suck down too much. It hurt my conditioning and I took a very deserved third place.

People say I was robbed, but I totally disagree. I was not the best that day. 2002 I had to go up a class to middleweights. I went into this show same as 2000. I just wanted to break top 15 as I was new to the middleweight class. Taking 4th that year was thrilling. I came back in 2003 to do the USA’s and the Nationals, but by this time, my body was begging for a rest and it just didn’t come in as it should. I took a humbling third to 2 great competitors.

One, being my best friend, Heather, but it taught me to listen to my body. So, I decided to skip the 2003 Nationals and just concentrate on training, not dieting. It's been during this offseason that my body is growing the best, and I am mentally the best I have ever been and I started powerlifting. I have hit some pretty big numbers for me. My goal for 2004 is the APA Meet in May for powerlifting and for bodybuilding is the Nationals in November and to hit the stage hard with the best body I have ever had !

I hope all my offseason training and focus brought it all together. I hope to be harder and finally have the legs to match the upper body.So that is where the story ends right now, but does not mean the end of the story! In the last few years I have learned a lot about me, and about life! I am not only physically stronger but mentally stronger! Lets see how that plays out on stage!