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I'm a social entrepreneur working at the intersection of youth and workforce development in various capacities – as a nonprofit leader, public ed consultant, small food business owner ☕️, and coach to other social impact professionals.

I am extremely mission-driven and believe that continuously manufacturing discomfort is essential to being a change agent within public systems. I'm also "local-first" and deeply committed to my change work taking place in my home community in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.

I have an extensive background in food by way of being born into the business and working in back-of-the-house environments throughout my life. How food, work, people, and stories collide is a narrative interest of mine.

Writing helps me navigate a myriad of roles and identities – past, present, public, and private – to discover unique points of connection and avenues for impact.

Feel free to poke around and reach out, and subscribe to receive new blog posts and interesting links.

Family

Letting the Oil Run Off

When we sold the food business my parents started in the early 1980s a few years ago, I was deeply concerned it would kill my father. That’s because it was the truest expression of his undivided self.

29 Jan

America

Stand on Purpose

Standing on purpose and grief are one and the same. Those of us working in the trenches in our communities experience these in tandem, knowing that the blessing of purpose and the curse of grief are tightly interwoven.

06 Nov

Health

Suffering as Grace

Something I’m really grateful for, which having this eye condition taught me, is that when your body sends a distress signal, you need to stop and slow down against all conditioning.

26 Oct

Family

I was such an asshole.

Sometimes I randomly apologize to my mother for being a little shit and it makes her emotional, which confirms that I have indeed been, or still am, a little shit.

12 Aug

Memoir

The Backyard at Longview

In my silent picture memories out back in the old house at Longview, a few places stand out. The window above the sink overlooking the backyard. A walnut tree. An ornate altar to the Virgin Mary.

30 Jun

Memoir

Watermelon Girls

Justin Timberlake's recent run-ins with the law reminded of the watermelon girls who shared a table with me in art class. We had nothing in common, but a semester is long enough to forge lasting memories.

20 Jun

Family

Ode to a Creep

I credit my sister for all of our major family trips. While my parents and I are very dynamic people, we’re also a bunch of stick-in-the-mud homebodies. A recent excursion reminded me of a funny time we had together.

03 Jun