About Me

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area in a large, close-knit family. My first 18 years were spent with my parents and my two brothers in Burlingame, CA, a town just south of San Francisco.  My family owned a well-known bakery in San Francisco that created beautiful European cakes and cookies. Throughout my childhood I worked at the bakery on weekends and holidays, along with many of my cousins.

My 20’s were full of adventure and travel.  I had a wonderful college education at The Colorado College.  The summer before graduating I worked on a cattle ranch in Cora, Wyoming, nestled below the glorious Wind River Mountains.  Moving cattle on horseback was my favorite activity.  My experience in Wyoming was so memorable that I ended up living there later in life.  

After graduating from college I moved to Taos, New Mexico.  I worked construction and volunteered with midwives to learn about childbirth.  I continued studying midwifery for a year in El Paso, Texas, attending over 130 births!  I thought I was going to become a nurse midwife when a job in Washington, DC changed my plans.  After two years on Capitol Hill and a Masters Degree in Public Administration, I began a career helping local communities grow in environmentally sustainable ways.  Most recently, I’ve been working on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, helping communities ravaged by  Hurricane Katrina recover and grow.

I enjoy traveling and have been fortunate to visit many parts of the world. I exercise regularly – running, walking my dog Sophie, and yoga.  I often go into San Francisco to enjoy the arts - symphony, dance, opera, museums and the theatre.  During the winter I ski with friends, both in California and in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.   Jackson Hole in the summer is also wonderful. I hike with friends, socialize in the evenings over dinner, and attend lectures and live music performances.