National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I can’t pour enough of my money, time, and support into a non-profit seeking a cure for a disease my family is personally affected by.

What is something interesting about you that not many people know?

In fifth grade, I was honored at the State House for winning first place in the state of Rhode Island in an Arbor Day poster contest themed “Trees are Terrific and Forests are Too!”

Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up in Portsmouth, a little town outside Newport, Rhode Island. Fun fact: Portsmouth, Newport, and Middletown (the town connecting them) make up Aquidneck Island, the original “Rhode Island.”

Provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

 Book: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I always root for the underdog, so I loved reading about Mindy’s journey from chubby, first-generation Indian child, to Ivy League graduate, to Emmy-nominated writer and actress. Mindy puts a humorous spin on how she overcame odds on every front, as a woman and as a minority in America, to become the cultural icon she is today.

Podcast: Rotten Mango

I have a morbid fascination with serial killer podcasts and documentaries. On my commutes to and from work, I listen to Stephanie dissect cases and breakdown killer’s motivations. Rotten Mango fulfills my desire to psychoanalyze people, and often concludes with the sweet taste of just desserts, satiating my inner-vigilante.

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Tell us about where you grew up

I am a Maine girl at heart but have lived in many other places since leaving home for college. I grew up with Acadian French influence and my parents and older generations preferred to speak French.  This came in handy when I was an expat in Paris, France for two years. It has been a fun topic over the years talking about the different expressions and comparing the French I grew up with to the French spoken in France.

Share something about a passion of yours, whether it is within your career or not?

Well, we recently got thrust into winemaking when we had an opportunity to pick grapes off a friend’s vineyard behind their new house.  It was harvest time and he was going to leave the grapes on the vine so we ended up picking about 100lbs of grapes buying some of the equipment needed, and making just over 5 gallons of cabernet.  Much of our process was very manual and it is still in the fermentation phase as of this writing, so we will only know if it’ll be good wine in a couple of years after aging!  There’s something to be said about overcoming a challenge and being able to enjoy the rewards of it, so we are looking forward to that day.  My husband and I have had lots of fun and some struggles figuring out all the complexities and making sure we don’t make a rookie mistake!

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

Girls Rising is an organization which helps at-risk girls achieve success through mentoring.  I volunteered as a big sister for just over 2 years and continue to keep in touch with my “little sister” even though she has graduated from the program and has relocated out of California. I also enjoy supporting a National City organization, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, which helps inspire families to be healthy by offering hands-on classes and programs in the garden and in the kitchen.

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Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up in Canyon, CA, a tiny town in the San Francisco Bay Area. I can’t imagine a more idyllic place to grow up – it’s in a redwood forest, close to the cities but so tiny and tucked away no one know it’s there. In summers I would splash barefoot in the creek looking for water skeeters and in winters go mushroom hunting with my family. My parents still live there so I get to enjoy it as an adult as well.

Select a 1 to 3 items from the list below and provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

• Book: I recently read The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, one of my favorite authors. Fantastical and a bit creepy, it is right up my alley!
• App: At the beginning of the first lockdown I paid for the Down Dog yoga app and I just renewed for another year. The sessions are incredibly customizable, and the verbal and video guidance is very helpful. Second best to actually going to the studio.
• Podcast: I have a lot of favorite podcasts, so this is a tough one. If you like parody and true crime, This Sounds Serious is a scripted comedic podcast which follows a different crime each season. Dedicated true crime fans will notice a plethora of references to actual true crime as well of plenty of parodies of other podcasts.

Share something about a passion of yours, whether it is within your career or not?

I am passionate about nature! I am a volunteer with the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Canyoneer program, leading educational hikes around San Diego County. I just started my spring garden and am growing poppies, calendula, kale, loofa gourd, and many other plants.

What is interesting about you that not many people know?

I love crafts and have been a knitter since I was 16. I used to bring my knitting projects to high school on test days so that I could knit after I turned in my test! I am currently working on a Popeye fisherman sweater for my boyfriend.

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

I currently volunteer for Traveling Stories, a nonprofit that encourages a love of reading in children and teaches basic budgeting skills. In “normal” times they set up a Story Tent at farmer’s markets and any child can stop by and read to a volunteer. They earn Book Bucks and can spend them immediately on small prizes or save them up for larger items. Currently they have pivoted to an all-virtual Story Tent. As a voracious reader and a financial planner, this charity ticks a lot of my boxes!

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Share something about a passion of yours, whether it is within your career or not?

I love that through my career I get the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. I love that I get to truly impact people’s lives in a positive way by  helping them identify goals, dream, and objectives and turning them into reality.

Tell us about where you grew up. 

I grew up in Fullerton, CA the eldest of four siblings.

Select a 1 to 3 items from the list below and provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

• Book: My favorite book is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah because it was well written historical fiction where women were the primary characters doing amazing things for 1949.
• Music: I have always loved Elton John; anything he does really. I love that he is a survivor and has overcome addiction and found love and balance in his life. But if I HAD to choose a favorite song; it would have to be I’m Still Standing.

What is interesting about you that not many people know?

I was guest of the Cuban government in the late 70’s when my father’s airplane had to make an emergency landing in Holguin, Cuba coming back from the Caribbean. We stayed for 4 days in a house where they kept dignitaries during the Cuban revolution where they interrogated us to ensure we weren’t a threat to Cuba. Eventually they let us go after they prepared the right fuel mixture for the plane.

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

I love supporting Serving Seniors who provide meals and services to seniors who are either at or below the poverty level. I also work with Vista Hill Foundation whose mission is to minimize the stigma associated with mental health issues.

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Share something about a passion of yours, whether or it is within your career?

I also like to hike.  We have a book A Foot and a Field that reviews trails in San Diego county.  We are busy trying to hike the suggestions in there.

Tell us about where you grew up.

I lived my formative years in the coastal mountains of central British Columbia, Canada.  We had a small farm just north of Tweedsmuir National Park, and lived a simple life raising our own food.  School was a small country, two-room school (16 students or so) that included grades 1-6.  Grade 7 meant going to a larger location (grades K to 10^th) with about 100 students.  It was a long bus-ride of 1 ½ hours.  I was in 4H, competed with my horses, learnt animal husbandry, and loved to ski.

Select 1 to 3 items from the list below and provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

• Podcast: I listen to several of these – 99% Invisible is one of my favorites.  It is about design in our world.  I’ve learned a lot about something I never even used to think about.
• Vacation Idea: My husband and I scuba dive.  I prefer diving in warmer water – even though I learned in Canada and have done a lot of cold-water diving.  I would like to dive the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park off the west coast of Grenada.
• New Hobbies/Interests during Quarantine: I have been renovating our house – right now I am busy painting the inside.  I grew up in a family that believed in doing it yourself – it is rewarding and a good thinking time.  Not as stressful as my job where I am always dealing with someone’s crisis.

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

I have two favorites.  The San Diego Dementia Consortium – it is a group dedicated to education of both public and professionals about dementia and caring for those suffering from this disease.  The other is the Foundation For Senior Well-Being.  Located in San Marcos, this non-profit provides various services to seniors in north county.

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Provide your best recommendation along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

Vacation Idea: My husband and I went on a Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Athens. We loved sampling ports and cities and now dream of going back to the places needing more time to explore and enjoy.

Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up all over the country – primarily the Midwest and Southern California. My father worked in advertising and his career took us from St. Louis to Los Angeles and cities in between. My fondest memories and closest friends were made in Highland Park, Illinois and Tarzana, California.

Share something about a passion of yours, whether it is within your career or not?

 I’m a news junkie. I started my career in broadcast journalism. My curiosity and interest in people, current events, business and economic trends, gives me a broader perspective and a peek into the future of what could be happening next.

What is interesting about you that not many people know?

During my years with Hallmark Cards, Inc., a career highlight was working with Maya Angelou to launch a line of greeting cards and gift products with her glorious writing. She welcomed me in her home multiple times and collaborated on marketing plans, media interviews, a New York City media launch, and her guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Maya Angelou was always teaching life lessons. My favorite quote “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

One of my favorite charities is The Doris Howell Foundation with a focus on the need for women’s health research.

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Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up in a small town north west of Toronto called Shelburne, Ontario, Canada.  I had an amazing childhood and my best friends are still the women I grew up with.  There was no movie theatre, no McDonalds and one traffic light.  I lived on a dead end street and one winter the Dad’s made an ice rink in the field.  That was a good winter.  

Provide your best recommendation for three topics along with one or two sentences explaining why you like it?

Restaurant: Vine and Tap is a local restaurant in San Elijo Hills where I live. It’s a hidden gem! The food and the service is outstanding. They also have a fabulous and accessible wine list. If you aren’t from the area I highly recommend Sunday brunch and the bottomless mimosas.

Vacation Idea: I went to Croatia a couple years ago with one of my best friends to celebrate her milestone birthday. I highly recommend. The people, the food, the scenery, the sea are all amazing. I can’t wait to go back.

New Hobbies/Interests during Quarantine: I do beach yoga with Carlsbad Village Athletics every weekend. There is nothing better than practicing yoga with the sun on your skin and sound of the ocean in the background.

What is your favorite charity or non-profit organization outside of WIB and why, if not a specific organization then what types of groups do you like to support and why?

I adopted my dog Rosco from the Helen Woodward Animal Centre a year and a half ago and I fell in love with the place (and with Rosco).  They are a no-kill facility and bring in dogs from around the country and globally to help them find their forever home.  Rosco came from Texas.  They save thousands of dogs every year.  I now volunteer with Helen Woodward.

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