Prior to joining TIR, Sydney worked in the wine industry in California for seven years. During that time, she worked for wineries and a local nonprofit, Vineyard Team, which serves as an information hub for sustainable wine-grape growing. While working for Vineyard Team, Sydney supported the Executive Director and Manager of Sustainability. She also helped plan the annual International Sustainable Ag Expo, which hosts hundreds of people and has experts from all over the world speak on best vineyard management practices. After working in the wine industry for many years, she decided to move to Atlanta to expand her career opportunities. Sydney earned a BS in Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in administration and policy at Northern Arizona University. She also attended Università degli Studi della Tuscia and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore while living in Italy for a year.