A good portion of my life’s journey was spent among the corn and bean fields of Illinois, but I’m a California native currently living in the Sierras immersed in the beautiful backwoods. I’ve always had a pull towards nature, where I feel most at home. I spend as much time as possible enjoying the elements that Mother Nature shares with us, from hiking and wildcrafting to snowboarding and rafting the rivers. I love to indulge in growing and nurturing my increasing community of plants. My fiancé and I previously owned an art co-op in our little mountain town for just over two years but ended up closing down the store front last fall to pursue other ventures. We’re currently looking into cultivating a piece of our land for a variety of medicinal plants and a community garden.

When I discovered East West at the end of 2014, it became vibrantly clear to me what I wanted to pursue in life. My passion for working with plants has consumed me with bliss and I look forward to a lifetime of learning and practicing the art of herbalism. After beginning my journey with East West, I knew that my spirit was meant for helping others on their path to wellness and working with the divine plants that lend their innate healing powers to us. Last fall I enrolled at a local college to complete the anatomy and physiology requirement and decided that while I was already enrolled I would finish a degree in business entrepreneurship to complement my pursuit of opening an apothecary.

For now, I’m working on finishing my case studies to complete the professional course while I’m taking full-time classes to finish my degree in business. I’m looking forward to the Advanced seminar next year as well as continuing my education beyond the professional course. I’m eternally grateful for the light that showed me the way to this path, and to Michael, Lesley, and the beautiful community of herbalists and plant-lovers that I’ve been so warmly welcomed into. Cheers to many more years of celebrating and practicing this ancient tradition. May we continue to pass it down through the generations to come.