I was born and raised in California, where as a child I discovered a deep passion for art and photography. I was fascinated by how art can emerge from almost nothing into a powerful form of self-expression, a curiosity that continues to guide my work today.

At Rice University, I double majored in Art and Art History and Anthropology, two fields that remain deeply connected in my teaching practice. Exploring and honoring culture through art is central to my work as an educator.

After fifteen years teaching in progressive schools in Berkeley and San Francisco, my family and I decided to move to Bali. Teaching art at the Green School, in an open-air classroom surrounded by jungle, proved transformational to my practice and inspired my TEDx talk on creativity and education.

We later moved to Prague, where I pursued a master’s degree exploring the intersection of environmental education and creative expression, worked as the all-school Changemaker Coordinator at the International School of Prague, and launched GAIA Kids (Global Artists in Action), an international arts initiative connecting young people through collaborative art projects focused on peace, sustainability, and social change.

Throughout my journey, my mission as an art educator has remained the same: to spark curiosity, nurture creative confidence, and ensure every child experiences the joy and magic of artmaking. I believe that when children feel supported to express their authentic selves and explore their passions through creativity, they grow into confident individuals who understand and engage meaningfully with others and the world around them.