Dr. Megan grew up in Hat Creek CA, where she participated in 4H and FFA, raising and showing steers for the Intermountain fair and competing in Parliamentary Procedure. She was also an FFA Regional Officer for the Superior Region. In addition, she played high school volleyball, basketball, and softball. After high school, Dr. Megan attended Cal Poly, SLO where she received a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, and then UC Davis where she received an MS degree in Animal Biology. Dr. Megan received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2009 from Kansas State University. She married Luke Hillyard, PhD shortly after graduation and they moved to Cottonwood CA, where they have been living for 12 years. Luke teaches Chemistry at Chico State University, and they have two children, Honora (age 10) and Declan (age 7). They raise Boer goats and have one dog and three cats.