Here is home. After more than 20 years spent navigating my career in healthcare, the journey eventually led me back to Portland. While my professional path took me across the country, most of my family remained here, and over time I realized it was time to return to Portland to reestablish my roots. After years of prioritizing career growth, I made the decision to step away from my role at Stanford Healthcare and explore other potential career pathways I had long set aside. That decision opened the door to a new chapter. I am now dedicating my time to growing a pilot, laboratory-focused program designed to introduce high school students to careers in the laboratory field. I first launched the program in 2019 while working in New York, where it exceeded expectations. Bringing it to the Pacific Northwest feels both intentional and meaningful. I'm currently enrolled in a Interior Design program and simultaneously working to restart my women's boutique I shutdown in 2021! Being home has been deeply fulfilling. Reconnecting with family, building new relationships, and looking for ways to invest in the community that raised me have reaffirmed that this was the right next step in my journey.
Because I left Portland at a young age, the community here feels different, and it’s encouraged me to get out more and share who I am, what I’ve been doing, and where I’ve been while I was away from the PNW. My goal while I’m here is to connect with people in areas and fields that interest me—especially those who share a passion for STEAM and the laboratory world as a whole. I feel like I’ve been slowly building a community, and I’m open to continuing to meet new people and share experiences until I find where I truly belong.
As I’ve mentioned, I have a deep passion and sense of purpose in my life. Right now, I’ve given myself time to pause from working so I can really reconnect with who I am and make sure I’m following what truly excites me—not just what I feel obligated to do. This fresh start has given me space to explore what genuinely moves me, set healthy boundaries, and remain open to whatever this journey brings. I may not yet know everything I need, want, or am interested in at this moment, but this process has opened me up to forming connections that go beyond transactional exchanges and instead foster genuine relationships, spark new ideas, support fun hobbies, and inspire meaningful adventures.
