I was born and raised in Olympia Washington, and lived in Seattle until 2009. I currently live in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with my husband, his two boys and our golden retriever. I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who was very interested on the effects of diet on health and behavior. As a long distance runner during high school my interest in nutrition grew. I also began researching food and cooking meals for my diabetic father believing insulin alone was not the solution to treating his condition. I moved to Seattle after high school and graduated from Seattle Pacific University with Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Dietetics.
I have always been passionate about helping others, but didn’t experience the healing power of herbs until I was diagnosed with cancer in my early 20’s. I was fortunate to work with some amazing people in the tea and dietary supplement industry after college who were very instrumental in my healing during that time. The combination of diet and herbal treatments made a huge impact on my recovery. I hope that my own experiences will help me heal others.
For the last eight years I have worked for a food manufacturing company managing a team of R&D scientists. Two years ago it became clear to me that I needed to change my career and follow my passion. I signed up for the East West course in February 2012 and recently completed my second seminar this past May. It was encouraging to see how far I’ve come over the last year, but I know I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me. I’m excited to be an advanced student and look forward to a challenging year.
I enjoy spending time with my family, running, hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, painting, cooking, making and eating fermented foods, live music and studying herbal medicine. I plan to become a professional herbalist combining my knowledge of nutrition and food science with herbal medicine. I see great opportunities for education and look forward to helping others improve their lives in my local and extended communities.