About me

I love to learn and be in the company of others. I have always cared deeply about the well-being of the people around me. As a kid, some environments were more fun than others. 

Even though I did well in academic classrooms, I tended to prefer extracurricular spaces. I loved the lighter mood in the high school jazz band and swim team where there was lots of laughter and fun to balance the work of practicing music and physical training. I was lucky to have band teachers and coaches that created close-knit teams where I felt secure in who I was and lighthearted about playing jazz trumpet and swimming competitively. 

When I entered the workforce in my 20s, there was a heaviness to some of my workplaces. I felt a deep sense of loss as I struggled to find that strong sense of community I had enjoyed in sports and music. 

Just when I thought I was doomed to a career of disappointment, something happened. I realized I, myself, could be someone who could build relationships and community. I found that coaching could help me do this. Then, I remembered that I didn’t like to work alone. I started to believe there were other people who were also teaching these things. I joined a team of leadership development coaches at the University of Chicago who actually encouraged silliness and playfulness for its own sake and to enable the results that an individual, team, or organization is looking for. Now I have a community to stand with as I teach that creativity and humor are necessary ingredients for success at all ages.