Tell us about where you grew up.
I grew up in Canyon, CA, a tiny town in the San Francisco Bay Area. I can’t imagine a more idyllic place to grow up – it’s in a redwood forest, close to the cities but so tiny and tucked away no one know it’s there. In summers I would splash barefoot in the creek looking for water skeeters and in winters go mushroom hunting with my family. My parents still live there so I get to enjoy it as an adult as well.
Select a 1 to 3 items from the list below and provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?
- Book: I recently read The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, one of my favorite authors. Fantastical and a bit creepy, it is right up my alley!
- App: At the beginning of the first lockdown I paid for the Down Dog yoga app and I just renewed for another year. The sessions are incredibly customizable, and the verbal and video guidance is very helpful. Second best to actually going to the studio.
- Podcast: I have a lot of favorite podcasts, so this is a tough one. If you like parody and true crime, This Sounds Serious is a scripted comedic podcast which follows a different crime each season. Dedicated true crime fans will notice a plethora of references to actual true crime as well of plenty of parodies of other podcasts.
Share something about a passion of yours, whether it is within your career or not?
I am passionate about nature! I am a volunteer with the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Canyoneer program, leading educational hikes around San Diego County. I just started my spring garden and am growing poppies, calendula, kale, loofa gourd, and many other plants.
What is interesting about you that not many people know?
I love crafts and have been a knitter since I was 16. I used to bring my knitting projects to high school on test days so that I could knit after I turned in my test! I am currently working on a Popeye fisherman sweater for my boyfriend.
What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?
I currently volunteer for Traveling Stories, a nonprofit that encourages a love of reading in children and teaches basic budgeting skills. In “normal” times they set up a Story Tent at farmer’s markets and any child can stop by and read to a volunteer. They earn Book Bucks and can spend them immediately on small prizes or save them up for larger items. Currently they have pivoted to an all-virtual Story Tent. As a voracious reader and a financial planner, this charity ticks a lot of my boxes!