She completed both her BSc (Animal Science; 2002) and PhD (Nutrition and Metabolism; 2007) at the University of Alberta, Canada. Her research program focuses on protein and amino acid nutrition and metabolism in horses, and she employs isotopic and molecular biology techniques in her research. She is one of only a few researchers in the world using stable isotope techniques to study whole-body protein metabolism and amino acid requirements in horses. She has been very successful in securing extramural funding for her program, with sources of funding that include the USDA AFRI competitive grants program, the Morris Animal Foundation, and the equine feed industry. She has 21 peer-reviewed publications, is the author of 1 book chapter and has given invited talks to both national and international audiences.