Nic Tusa grew up in Long Island, New York, a place she dreamed of leaving before realizing that abandoning the best pizza and bagels in the world might be a criminal offense. An accidental murderer of houseplants, she atones for her black thumb by saving human lives as a paramedic. Once described as an octopus in captivity, Nic is no good at sitting still and requires a steady stream of challenges and puzzles to keep her brain occupied. She is a marathoner, educator, researcher and all-around overachiever. Nic enjoys hiking, helping nuns, and “that’s what she said” jokes.