I grew up on Bainbridge Island, just across the water from Seattle, Washington. My love for athletics and the outdoors began when I was young, running cross country through the winding trails around Gazzam Lake. I studied visual art and Japan Studies at the University of Washington and later graduated from the Discovery Point School of Massage on Capitol Hill. I’ve lived in Vienna (briefly), Osaka (less briefly), and Seattle (not briefly). I keep a happily active schedule, enjoy traveling whenever I can, and am always trying to learn more about the world around me.

One of my earliest jobs was at a small restaurant of my hometown, Bainbridge Island. Since that beginning as a hostess, I bounced around and up the restaurant ladder, spending time as a dishwasher, chef, server, bartender, bookkeeper, and GM. After two decades of watching friends and coworkers pile aches upon injuries (and sustaining several myself), it occurred to me that someone needed to serve the servers. I went back to school for massage, and as a result began my work largely on my restaurant family—chefs, bartenders, and servers—which eventually morphed into helping all those who enjoy pushing their bodies to the limits — runners, rock climbers, gym gurus, and yogis.