Since I was very young, two things have been true:
1) I love sports 2) I care about people.
My love of sports shaped the roots of my life. I was fortunate to play Division I (D1) Big-Ten Softball for the University of Illinois. My experience formed my understanding of teamwork, commitment, and our bodies’ incredible capacity. It also taught me the pressures of playing for an institution with money on the line and transitioning out of sport. I am committed to speaking the embodied language of the athlete to sustain change.
My care for people shaped the trajectory of my career. In university I was introduced to “business anthropology” which is all about the people and culture of capitalism, i.e. work culture. I became fascinated by the questions: “how do we get here?” and “what do we need?” Diversity, equity, and inclusion presented a viable path to answer these questions, and I spent the last 15 years working with people in companies around the world with Catalyst, Riot Games, and Nike. I am committed to knowing the felt pressures of the white collar worker to sustain change.
This all led me to somatics. I knew how to listen to my body in sports, and felt the visceral gap in how that translated in daily work or life - while so many people shared the struggle to feel belonging, safety, and worthiness. I invested in learning my body’s experience of race, gender, and class, which deepened my connection to the world. I spent years with the teachers of somatic abolitionism: Resmaa Menakem, Carlin Quinn, and Jennifer-Lee Koble. I continued my learning to become a somatic coach with the teachers of the Strozzi Institute: Wendy Haines, Namiko Uno, Anela Barboza, and Stephanie Meux.
So, here we are! I am committed to building a world of collective care (and power) through listening to our bodies.
We’re meant to do this together, and I am so grateful to do it.