Since age 17, I have enjoyed running several loosely related businesses and volunteering in the non-profit sector. My career as a licensed Landscape Architect has afforded me the opportunity to live, study and work in such diverse places as Japan, Italy, India and Dubai. All the while travelling to almost 50 countries around the world developing not just language aptitude but a cross-cultural sensitivity that affects nearly all the work I do. I continue to maintain a practice in Southern California where speaking fluent stakeholder, contractor and local government are paramount to successful design.

In 2012, I successfully pitched my social venture on ABC’s Shark Tank to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. Mark and his team continue to play an active role in The Living Christmas Company where we are able to employ dozens of disadvantaged workers to deliver living Christmas trees as an alternative to cut or plastic ones.

My non-profit work includes 6 years serving as a founding board member for Environmental Charter Schools and as Past President of Mediators Beyond Borders-LA Chapter (MBB). I had the pleasure of working with both Mr. Baril and Dr. Wood as Co-Leaders in Rwanda developing trauma aware mediation programs and continue to volunteer as a mediator with the juvenile courts’ Victim-Offender program.

I am currently completing my Masters in Negotiation and Peace building from Cal State Dominguez.

Weekends are spent either competing in professional stilt walking competitions, running with my dog, Kota, or relaxing with my family at our small avocado farm in North County San Diego.