I was born and raised in North Carolina.  As a 17-year-old, I was accepted to the prestigious University of the North Carolina School of the Arts, where I studied Drama. After graduating with a High School Diploma, I moved to San Jose, California, and served on the Educational Theatre Team at City Year, San Jose/Silicon Valley, an AmeriCorps Programme. During this year, I used Forum Theatre (Theatre of the Oppressed) to work with young people aged 5-18 all over the Bay Area in schools, community centers, and even in probation services. The workshops we created explored topics such as bullying, domestic violence, healthy relationships, homophobia, and gang awareness. 

​

After my year of service, I spent a year studying abroad - first backpacking through Northern India with a group of 9 other students, then interning with a community arts organization in Liverpool, England. While in India, I volunteered in orphanages, studied in monasteries/temples, and stayed with local families. I finished my university studies at Guilford College a Quaker institution in Greensboro North Carolina where I majored in Community and Justice Policy Studies and minored in African-American studies. As a student, I was heavily involved on campus. I was the treasurer for the Native American Student Circle, a project coordinator for campus activities pertaining to hunger and homelessness, the creative director of the Vagina Monologues & a HomeGrown Film Festival finalist.

​

In 2011, I began my Masters Degree at the University of Winchester. During this course, I worked on many projects and co-taught Drama at the New Forest Free School. My MA focused on using creative practices such as Theatre and Media to enhance the developmental processes of participants in a wide range of contexts. For my final consultancy project, I helped design and apply a Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation method to a European Commission-funded multinational University Network.

​

I have had various roles since obtaining my MA.  I was a Social Impact Investment Officer for a housing association in the UK until moving back to North Carolina with my husband and our two children during the COVID-19 pandemic to be closer to my family of origin. 

​

To access my full portfolio, please use the link here

​