All Fellows were asked to write a short biography to provide to the other Fellows and program staff.  My bio is as follows:

Ms. Dawn Ford was born and raised on a farm in Kentucky.  At an early age, she developed a love for nature and has pursued that interest in her studies and work.  She earned a B.S. degree in Biology and Environmental Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from Western Kentucky University.  At Miami University (Oxford, OH), she earned a M.S. degree, and during her time there she completed marine biology research on Andros Island, Bahamas.  In 1997, she moved to Chattanooga, TN for a faculty position in the Biological and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Tennessee of Chattanooga.  As an instructor and then Assistant Professor, she received over 20 grants, published three books, and taught tropical biology courses that took students to the Bahamas and Costa Rica. 

After seven years at UTC and with a desire to work in local government, Ms. Ford accepted a position at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department as an Environmental Scientist in 2004.  In 2006, she was promoted to Emergency Response Coordinator and now manages the Emergency Preparedness program.  In this position, she leads public health planning for chemical, nuclear, and biological threats.  Her most recent work has involved planning for pandemic influenza.  In December 2006, she completed a graduate degree in Applied Epidemiology.  Ms. Ford is married and has two young sons.