Home: Berkeley, CA. Age: 33, but I look 17. Haha. Birthplace: Marysville, CA. Profession: Dog walker and trainer. Pronouns: She/they. Alma mater: Edgewood College, Madison, WI. Languages spoken: American Sign Language.
Latest accomplishment: Successfully growing my business. What’s been your big (or biggest) leap? Returning to team sports, including flag football, kickball and dodgeball. Recent travel or adventure: Experiencing the power of Mayan ruins and the exhilaration of Mexico City. Last book read: Mother Mary Comes to Me, by Arundhati Roy, and The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins. Recently viewed recommendation: Shrinking and Your Friends & Neighbors. What practices nurture your healing and self-growth? Yoga, Pilates, sports, breathwork and expressing myself through movement.
Personality profile: Thoughtful, values-led, emotionally intelligent and deeply empathetic. What is your greatest joy? My pets and family—my mom, dad, sister and niece. What is your greatest fear? Doing life without my parents. What is your guilty pleasure? Shows and movies I watched as a kid. They let me zone out and feel safe. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Experiences, food and time with people I love—and treats, toys and adventures for my pets. What is at the top of your bucket list? Alaska, New Orleans, Hawaii, Thailand, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. How do you relieve stress? Walking my dogs or going to the gym. Movement helps me reset. What is your favorite movie that you can watch over and over? It’s Complicated. It explores love, family and personal growth during midlife.
What was your first paying job? Pauline’s Pizza & Wine Bar, where I started bussing tables and eventually became a food runner and wine pourer. What was your favorite college course? Philosophy. It demanded critical thinking while inviting deep personal reflection. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? Pictures of my pets and old photos from my childhood home. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My maternal grandmother, a fiercely independent woman whose steadiness held our family together. What is your go-to source of news and information? BBC, Instagram, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and The Washington Post. What company or organization do you most admire? The SPCA. Its work giving rescued animals care, second chances and safe havens mirrors my own life. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? September 11, 2001. It reshaped security policy and made me personally aware of skin color and racism.
What is your big idea?
Helping people think more clearly and live more honestly, particularly where emotion, power and identity collide.
What change would you like to see in the world? A return to humanity, accountability and connection, with families kept together rather than divided by fear, systems or ideology. What message do you want to send out into the world? Families belong together. A person’s worth is not defined by their skin color or where they were born. What mega-trend most excites you? The continued push toward inclusion, human dignity and collective care. What mega-trend most concerns you? The rapid expansion of AI and its potential to replace or dilute real human interaction.
Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My dog, Alucia. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? An animal cop. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? Photos of my pets and family. What advice would you give your younger self? Slow down and don’t give up. Take it easy on yourself.
Personal motto: Forgiveness is how I stop carrying what hurt me. Desired epitaph: She carried tenderness in a brutal world.
