I WAS JUST OUT of high school in 1985 when, inspired by the film 'The Killing Fields,' I ran off to become a photojournalist. I eventually wound up in Bosnia, Iraq, El Salvador, Northern Ireland, Burma, Sri Lanka and a half dozen other wars.

In 1998 I began working on assignment for the World Health Organization documenting epidemics in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East.

I turned to magazine travel writing and photography in 2000.

None of my work would be possible without my extraordinary teachers and mentors: Olga Hudecek at the American School of Madrid; Ron Finelli at Everitt JHS; Kaye Fairbanks at Wheat Ridge HS; Frances Fergusson at Vassar College; Len Ackland, Beth Gaeddert and Frank Kaplan at CU; National Geographic photojournalist Jim Richardson, and wildlife photographers Bob Rozinski and Wendy Shattil.