Jampstarting my career: About Me and How I Started

My background is in arts and sciences.  I graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in Anthropology, Art History, and Zoology.  I went on to graduate with a master's degree in Biology from Florida Atlantic University.  

I bounced around the globe traveling through more than 38 countries in the last 16 years.  I found an appreciation for different cultures and foods.  

In between, I discovered a new species of naked amoebae, designed a sea turtle exhibit for a local county nature center, participated in an archaeological dig in Israel, worked on eradicating the invasive Brazilian Pepper and Air Potato species, researched diversity on coral reefs in Australia, made it onto the silver screen as a precision driver, and volunteered with a wildlife care center in south Florida before temporarily moving to Maine to teach conservation ecology.  I returned and briefly worked for a major research and medical university in South Florida reading and approving all the medical research that was taking place on campus ensuring compliance and a high standard of ethics.  When my father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer I saw a need for patient advocates and so I became one self-employed.  After the university closed my department I took a while to look around and regroup.  

I came back to my love of entertaining with the kitchen being at the center of our happy home.  I always had a passion for cooking and the science behind it a la Alton Brown chemistry.  This past January 2019 I was organizing a trip to the South Florida Fair and I stumbled upon their culinary competition.  On a spontaneous lark, I entered that very instant the day before the competition.  I made my famous Monkey Butter and ended up taking 1st place and winning the blue ribbon and large trophy.  

After a couple of weeks of rumination and serendipity, JP's Delights was born.