I grew up in a bubble in the Land of Enchantment. Specifically, a white, middle-class bubble in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I held a sheltered view of the world: I thought that issues like racism and sexism were a thing of the past and learning that they were still alive and well was shocking. My world view came into question during high school and at university, when I began to recognize my privilege and how that impacted my perspective.

While undertaking my Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at Boston University, I learned more about international human rights and the possibility of working globally on those types of issues. Once I completed that degree, I moved to Washington, D.C. because that was the place to be if you wanted to work in international development. And I was off! I got an internship and worked at a pub near Union Station to pay the bills. I later got my first “real” job at an international anti-slavery organization and, after living and working in D.C. for two years, I was offered the opportunity to move to Senegal to work for a human rights organization.

Over the next decade, I lived and worked in the Balkans, Central Asia, and East and West Africa. I served on the teams of foundations, nonprofits, and social businesses, and contributed to varying projects, including those on access to equitable healthcare, environmental sustainability, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health, women's rights, and more. Because of that bubble I grew up in, much surprised me and I found myself learning and unlearning more than I could’ve ever imagined.

I loved (most of) the work, but I didn’t always agree with the way it was carried out. Organizational approaches to international development work often involved bringing in outsiders to address local problems, without, in my opinion, properly utilizing the insights and knowledge of the locals. Foreigners often provided assumed, and unearned, expertise.

After ten years in the field, I craved time and space to reflect on and research these issues, so I undertook my Master’s Degree in Human Rights at the University of Sussex. Upon its completion, I concluded that I could no longer work in the same ways I had previously, and I explored working in ways that aligned with my values. I became more involved in social justice spaces in the U.S., obtaining my certification as an anti-racism training facilitator and as an LGBTQ+ Affirming Coach.

I now serve as the Ethics Advisor to multiple organizations and I help individuals and teams, especially those working globally and cross-culturally, who want to do good in the world and could use support along the way.