Oakland Girl with Dreams to Inspire

How I Got Here

I have to credit my parents for my interest in people. Both of my parents are “thinkers” and philosophical. Growing up, I often had conversations with them about this world that we all share. Those conversations made me think about people, our society, and ultimately how I could find ways to help others.

I was born and raised in Oakland, CA. Growing up, I had friends who were from the rich hills and others from “rougher” areas. I was somewhere in the middle. All of my friends were smart, capable, and funny, and to me, we were all the same.

As I got older, I realized there was a difference that separated us: opportunity.

I'm no smarter or more capable than anyone else. I was blessed to have people who took an interest in me and gave me opportunities. That realization motivated me to go into the helping field. I wanted the chance to provide opportunities for change and growth for others.

That continues to be my mission.

Becoming a Therapist

I studied Psychology and earned my Master's in Clinical Psychology in 2011. I spent much of the early part of my career doing case management with people diagnosed with severe mental illnesses and became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2015.

In 2018, I started my private practice. My work shifted toward more “traditional” therapy, with many of my conversations centered around “adulting”—navigating life, careers, relationships, identity, and all the things we're somehow supposed to know how to do.

Not long after starting my practice, I had the opportunity to provide therapy to UC Berkeley students.

I didn't know it at the time, but that experience would begin my love for working in the college space. Today, I'm a provider for students across the University of California system.

From Therapy to Teaching

Over the years, working with college students gave me a unique window into what students experience outside of the classroom—the uncertainty, pressure, relationships, career decisions, and questions about what comes next.

Eventually, I wanted to be part of their educational experience too.

In 2025, I began guest lecturing in college classrooms, and I loved it. Today, I teach Introduction to Psychology and bring what I've learned from years of working with college students into the classroom with me.

My work with students has also led me to speak at Lilly Conferences on College and University Teaching, where I share with educators some of what my work as a therapist has taught me about how students think, what can get in the way of engagement, and how we can better support them.

As a therapist, I get to hear what students sometimes don't say in the classroom. As an educator, I get to think about what we can do with that information.

At the end of the day, whether I'm sitting with a client, teaching a class, or speaking with educators, I'm still doing something I've valued since those early conversations with my parents:

Having honest conversations about people, how we navigate our lives, and how we create opportunities for change and growth.

Explore My Work

Therapy | Teaching | Speaking | Should → Can