I was almost 25 before I made the conscious decision to become a gerontologist. I was working as an Alzheimer’s disease and dementia educator in Florida. This was not my first career choice. I went to school dreaming about becoming the next Dr. Ruth. Does anyone know who that is? That’s right- the famous sex therapist! I earned my Master’s degree in health promotion with a minor in human sexuality from Indiana University, home of the famed Kinsey Institute. Unfortunately, the sexual health field is very difficult to break into so I was given the advice to take any health education position to earn some experience. This turned out to be life-changing advice! I ended up applying for an Alzheimer’s educator position and got it. At this job, I had the responsibility of educating and informing the general public, professionals, family caregivers, and numerous others about Alzheimer’s disease. I loved the job and considered it an honor to be given the opportunity to educate and support the many people who sacrifice their own lives to care for others. Despite the many joys, I often saw people struggle as well. Their heartbreak was very familiar to me. I knew their pain and feelings of helplessness because of my own family’s experiences with Alzheimer’s disease- my great grandfather and both of my grandmothers had dementia. I not only saw the effect of the disease on the person but the impact it had on the family as they struggled to support their loved one.These families and caregivers inspired me. In 2010, I decided to return to school to earn my doctorate in Public Health with a focus on health promotion and education for family caregivers. Because of my research focus, I also decided to pursue a graduate certificate in Gerontology. Ultimately, I want to pursue a career in academia where I can perform and disseminate research that improves the family caregiving experience and inspires students to pursue careers in Gerontology.