My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive;
to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.
Maya Angelou
Finding a way to something more
I know what it feels like to be so scattered across roles and responsibilities that you can barely remember who you actually are underneath all of it. Life has a way of doing that — quietly, gradually, while you're busy keeping everything going.
That's not abstract for me. It's where this work began.
My story
My path to this work began in an unexpected place: IT business analysis. For years, I helped people work better within their systems — but what I loved most was asking the questions that shifted how people saw their challenges. Everyone had a story, and often a few words of encouragement helped them see possibilities they'd missed. I was fascinated by patterns and connections, by the gap between what systems demanded and what people actually needed.
Alongside this work, I'd long been invested in my own health — not reactively, but proactively. Even in my 20s I recognized that life was fragile, and I wanted to make choices that would help me live fully for as long as possible — with the energy, mobility, and capacity to do the things that brought me joy.
When chronic back pain entered the picture, it became a different kind of teacher. Being told I'd just have to "deal with" never biking or gardening again wasn't acceptable to me — not because of stubbornness, but because those things were part of what made life feel like mine. Through many disappointing dead-ends, I learned to trust my own intuition while remaining open to wisdom from many sources. Many years later, I'm still biking and gardening. That matters to me.
The turning point came during one of the most demanding periods of my life. I was scattered across fundamentally different ways of being — employee managing demanding work, healthcare advocate, daughter, partner, person trying to maintain my own household and life. I was so fragmented I could barely remember who I actually was beneath all the roles. I couldn't exercise, manage stress, or eat well — all things I knew could prevent my own health crisis. I realized that wellness optimization couldn't help me. I didn't need better time management or more self-care tips — I needed to be seen and heard by someone open and curious, someone willing to help me find a path forward that actually fit my life. When I couldn't find that kind of support, I realized I wanted to become the guide I wished I'd had.
This realization led me to leave IT and earn my Master's in Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching from the University of Minnesota. I went in thinking I'd help people eat better, move better, live better — sharing what I'd learned, pointing the way. But somewhere along the way I discovered something more fundamental: there is no one path. No single strategic way forward that works for everyone. The beauty — and the real work — is helping each person find their own.
And once someone finds that rooted knowing — once they reconnect with what genuinely sustains them — the practical pieces start to fall into place naturally. The food, the movement, the rest, the connection. Not as prescriptions to follow, but as expressions of a life that's actually theirs.
There's something that still catches me off guard about witnessing that moment — every time. When someone finds their way back to themselves, something shifts — not just for them, but for everyone they touch. That's the bettering of nature — and that's what makes this work matter.
You have shown me how to find some answers within myself
and have given me tools to keep myself balanced...
Coaching Client
If any of this is resonating — wherever you are in your own story — there's likely a way I can help. It might look different for each person.
Explore what's available→
Education & Training
This work is grounded in rigorous training that brings together traditional education and specialized certifications.
Core Education
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Master of Arts, Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota
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Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Mathematics, Luther College (IA)
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National Board Certification in Health and Wellness Coaching (NBC-HWC)
Additional Training & Certifications
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Mind-Body Medicine professional training (The Center for Mind-Body Medicine)
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Functional Nutrition Guide certification (MindBodyGreen)
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Resilience & Thriving Facilitator training
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Food Matters professional training (University of Minnesota)
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Mindful Storytelling certification, integrating mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with storytelling approaches
