For as far back as she an remember, Karen Valdez wanted to be a dentist, and went to dental school in Mexico. Still, she longed for an education in the US and took English as a Second Language classes at El Paso Community College. Valdez's interest in science fueled her desire to continue her education. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast, hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Valdez about her role as an ORISE Fellow at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she is conducting research into tick-borne illnesses. Throughout the conversation, Valdez talks about how she came to love science, her educational journey, the importance of mentorship and collaboration, and what she hopes comes next in her career trajectory. To learn more about ORISE research participation program opportunities at the CDC, visit https://orise.orau.gov/cdc/current-research-opportunities.html