About Me
A deeper look at my journey
A desire to arrange things and make harmony out of objects mindfully placed in relation to one another began as far back as I can remember, that was the artist in me. With little interest in dolls, I much preferred designing and reconfiguring the interior of my doll house, persuading Grandma to knit miniature rugs from yarn remnants and repurpose toothpaste caps into planters. A yellow, oversized sand bucket, chock full of crayons, often held my attention for hours on end. It is now I realize these outlets were “art-therapy,” for my little latchkey self, not an unfamiliar reality for many Generation X’ers. This passion for meaningful, mindful creativity and deep reflection would manifest in a myriad of ways beyond childhood, shaping my story well into adulthood!
After earning a bachelor’s degree in corporate health and wellness from Penn State University, I relocated to Miami, Florida and accepted a position with a local Native American Indian Tribe on a reservation in the heart of the Florida Everglades sparking construction for a brick and mortar wellness center. I then planted seeds that birthed the construction of a wellness center at the University of Miami, School of Medicine, directing their programs for thirteen years. It wasn't until after another decade as a corporate wellness consultant did I follow the whisper of my highest calling into full expression!
Bella, the miracle rescue featured in my book
Qualifications & Achievements, 35+ Years Experience
- Author, Saving Bella, Finding Truth (memoir + empowerment guide) - Spring 2027
- Grassroots Leader, Program Director, University of Miami School of Medicine $16M Wellness Center, 13 Years
- Bachelor of Science Degree, Wellness & Exercise Physiology, Penn State University
- Master of Education, Psycotherapy, University of Miami
- Regional Corporate Consultant, Employee Wellness, 10 Years
- Project Visionary, Director, Grant-writer, Strategist, Construction Manager, Miccosukee Indian Reservation Wellness Center. (United States Department of Health & Human Services Recognition)
- Founder & Chief Empowerment Artisan, LifeDesign Lady
Beneath lay the story of my journey to date. Fasten your seatbelt, for this tale stretches long, and if stories aren’t your cup of tea, that’s perfectly fine too. Just know that I have weathered storms & emerged resilient, chin held high & adorned with a smile. It's fair to say I took the long way home but I finally learned to surf life's ebb & flow the likes of a magic carpet excursion and do I ever have some colorful synchronicities & transformational adventures to share! This life has happened for me not to me; a destiny that has refused to surrender. I know this because at age of 12, following heartbreaking news, I found myself sitting next to a rushing Pennsylvania mountain stream. Tossing a single pebble is all it took; I watched as ripples formed a pattern of perfect geometry, gently harmonizing, almost absurdly so, given the choas inside me. As I pondered natures orderliness, I felt a curious peace given the waters way of responding, how an uncomplicated action could make such tidy consequences until a spontaneous sense of ease washed over my entire being as if from a power greater than any I could have ever fathomed. My body's Lake Superior-esque outpouring of tears, pain & whaling disappeared in a literal blink. Heartbreak dissolved into thin air; my state of consciousness lifted to an altogether higher realm where nothing short of peace & nirvana rein. Natures surroundings and my senses amplified to unthinkable heights; hues, sounds, textures & scents grew ten-times as if the heart of a grinch on Christmas Day! Then, came a message in the sound of my own voice yet with undeniable clarity, confidence & calm, "Your life will be filled with passion & purpose. One day you will write a book & it will be about your life."
Safely and quietly, I tucked that profound happenstance into the deep chambers of my heart, telling no-one for four decades. The shame of confessing such phenomena in small-town America? I figured this would likely serve nobody and achieve nothing but would most certainly land me into a paddy wagon pointing straight to the nearest funny farm! The childhood experience next to the stream, remained hidden as my little secret, fearing I'd be shamed yet that mystical day also served as a beacon of hope through young adulthood not to mention quite a few mighty dark nights of the soul. Similar to that which astronauts have long referred to as the "overview effect", following outer space travel; you don't forget such an experience. I suppose it's fair to say that very early on I was handed a front-row knowing that everyone and everything is truly interconnected. This changed me forever. Thankfully, many decades & colorful life chapters later, I managed to return to my truth, reawaken my voice and step into my gifts of intuition, realizing these are none other than my inborn superpowers!
My book, Saving Bella, Finding Truth and the creative empowerment programs that accompany it, unfurl from that infamous day beside the Pennsylvania mountain stream.
Nearly four decades after the day at the stream, an innocent visit to a location reminiscent of my childhood prompted an illogical nudge to rescue Bella, a severely neglected shelter dog from euthanasia. This single act of compassion forced an opening the likes of a cosmic portal and the spontaneous authoring of the book "about my life" began writing itself as foretold next to the mountain stream at twelve. It was like the Universe pressed rewind on my entire life, then fast forward: I was granted all sorts of adventurous and deeply meaningful do-overs, full-circle miracles ensued, otherworldly encounters and synchronicities threaded their way into my daily life. Interconnection was no longer a secret kept hidden in my heart; instead it became my permanent reality.
As I wrote steadily over a twelve month period, streams of information and ancient wisdoms poured in, day and night. Saving Bella, Finding Truth and it's accompany empowerment programs were born! This is more than a confessional memoir: it dovetails into a multi-series creative empowerment experience for the reader; healing and personal growth programs designed to guide readers in sharpening their intuition, loosening the grip on that which no longer serves to boldly and creatively dream in the life they most wish to experience.
I hope this work, sparked by destiny and shaped with storytelling and unconventional approaches to healing and empowerment, blesses you in miraculous and bliss-filled ways. I share these chronicles because if I can inspire even a single soul to believe that no life challenge is insurmountable, then my purpose flourishes. I believe life’s successful navigation requires a specific mindset, belief in the unseen, willingness to embody a knowing that you have the Divine power inside your own heart to shed that which no longer serves you and to dream in the life you want. By rediscovering your authentic energetic alignment, bidding farewell to societal ideas of how your life should look, combined with proven-science and spiritual tools, you too can harness your superpowers! I am of the opinion that it's important, when skillfully traversing life's stormy waters, to operate from Source (the divine intelligence that resides within your own heart) and to align with those energies and with individuals that elevate rather than belittle you. I know what it feels like to be ensnared by extreme darkness and despair, yet I have gathered a wealth of skills to better transform life’s trials. I stand ready to pay it forward—what value would these experiences hold if not shared? With open arms, I can genuinely declare that this journey remains profoundly humbling and utterly wondrous. I eagerly and humbly anticipate guiding you through life’s ups and downs, demonstrating that you too can emerge on the other side, transformed into an even brighter and happier version of you.