I was born and raised in Colorado.  Competitive swimming was my passion growing up which led to an athletic scholarship at Ohio University. After graduating in 1993 with a liberal arts degree, I spent six months backpacking the full length of the Appalachian Trail. Following that transformative thru-hike, I moved to Anchorage, Alaska,  spending years there as a VISTA/Americorps wilderness educator, working with at-risk youth. While in Alaska, I fell in love with rock climbing, traveling and teaching all aspects of climbing lead to many great adventures.  In 1998,  Santa Fe became my home,  while studying counseling and earning the state's highest level of clinical licensure.  Along the way, I met my husband and became a mother to my son and daughter. 

My master's degree, from the College of Santa Fe (1999) specialized in adolescent and family mental health.  As a part of the New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project, I served the SKY Counseling Center as a clinician, supervisor, and clinical director.  Fifteen years with the SKY Center helped me to gain priceless experience in therapeutic relationships specific to our northern New Mexico community.   

While dedicated to family therapy, it became clear to me that the ability to develop the mental skills of mindfulness was primary to any lasting lifestyle and relationship change.  My formal training and personal practice of mindfulness began in 2005.  I am the co-founder of The Santa Fe Center for Mindfulness, an organization dedicated to bringing mindfulness learning opportunities for teens and adults.  Through the center, I have taught MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), MBCT (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) and partnered with UNM, the Center for Disease Control, and the National Institute of Mental Health on family-based mindful eating research to prevent adolescent diabetes/obesity. 

I often teach what I need to work on most in my own life, so in 2009, I created a model of stress reduction specifically for parents.  This curriculum is called The Joy of Mindful Parenting and has been the anchor for much of my work.  Currently, I am enjoying my seat as the lead teacher for the Santa Fe Vipassana Family Sangha. I have maintained a formal and consistent mindfulness meditation practice for 15 years. Fortunately, I have been able to attend many retreats, conferences, and teacher trainings over the last decade.  I have had the privilege of sitting directly with Thich Nhat Hanh, Tara Brach, Daniel Siegel, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and Pema Chodron.

All my life I have been involved with adventure, relationships, and the mind, always curious about how people come to live their best lives. My professional and personal loves have joined together in the art of teaching mPEAK (Mindful Performance Enhancement, Awareness, and Knowledge). I have completed an intensive training period with the University of California San Diego, and am considered and certified coach.  Bringing together mindfulness and performance is an inspiring and fun way to stay pointed towards living a meaningful life.