I’ve been curious about the world for as long as I can remember. Science, particularly biology,
was my first great fascination. I’ve always been captivated by the way life organizes itself:
particles become molecules, molecules become cells, cells become organisms, organisms
become communities, and every piece has a role in keeping the larger system going. I think that
fascination with connection and how things fit together has quietly followed me far beyond
science.
I began my career in scientific research around the same time I met my now-husband, who has
been beside me through every unexpected turn since. He was there when I left research to
become a high school science teacher, when I returned to the lab as a forensic scientist, and when
I eventually found myself not knowing what to do next. He was there when that uncertainty led
me all the way to interior Alaska for a temporary job with his sisters, and soon joined me in the
adventure of a lifetime.
I love spending time with my family, rock climbing, and learning new things. I care deeply about
creating happiness and harmony in the communities I’m part of. I aim to help others experience
and connect with the world as I have experienced and connected with it. Perhaps there’s still a
little biologist in the way I see things: I believe individuals thrive when the larger community is
connected, and communities become stronger when the people within them genuinely engage
with one another.
Why I do what I do
For much of my life, I thought I understood the formula: choose a meaningful career, figure out
the steps to get there, work relentlessly, and succeed. And I did. But when I finally reached the
destination I had spent my life working toward, I was surprised to find myself asking, Now what?
It felt a little like finishing every mission in a video game and suddenly finding yourself
wandering around an open world without a quest marker. I realized I had become so focused on
preparing for the life I was supposed to have that I hadn't given nearly enough thought to simply
experiencing the life I already had.
That realization changed what I value. I think we naturally spend a lot of time somewhere other
than the present: worrying about what might happen, replaying what already happened, or
working toward the next thing. Responsibilities matter and life can certainly be difficult, but
there are also people, places, conversations, experiences, and little pockets of joy happening
around us right now. I don't want to miss them.
Today, achievement means very little to me if it comes at the expense of experiencing life and
the people in it. I'm driven by a desire to create more happiness, connection, and harmony
wherever I can, whether that's solving a problem, bringing people together, encouraging someone
to venture beyond what's familiar, or simply making someone's day a little easier.
Whatever I'm doing, I want to leave people, places, and communities a little better than I found
them, while remembering to actually experience them along the way.
