In short, I have lived an extraordinary life! I have had the privilege of living, working, and traveling in a total of 60 countries (from South Korea, to Spain, to Turkey, Thailand, and more), connecting with people from all over the world. Although I myself am an educator and learning designer, I have been able to learn from people of widely diverse backgrounds and cultures which has humbled me and given me great insights into life.

I was born in Miami, Florida to a hardworking and loving family of New Yorkers with a great sense of humor. I graduated from high school in South Florida and went on to Florida State University (FSU) where I befriended two amazing peers who pioneered an award-winning international sustainable development organization called Global Peace Exchange (GPE). Through GPE and my close friendships with its inspiring leaders, I was able to get a taste of international work and life on projects in Thailand and Rwanda during the summer of my sophomore and junior years. As a result of the impact these incredible experiences had on me, I decided to move abroad to teach in South Korea after finishing my Bachelor's degree. 

While living and working in Korea, I had the opportunity to travel all around Asia as well as learn the Korean language. I realized my passion for education and decided to pursue a U.S. teaching license followed by a Master's in International Education with a specialization in cross-cultural training. I led travel learning programs for young adult participants from around the world throughout the U.S. and South Korea. I also embarked on a six month backpacking trip around the world (one of my personal life goals) where I traveled from Southeast Asia to Africa and the Middle East, traversing through all of central and southern Africa on an overland truck and camping along the way. It was a huge personal accomplishment! I ended up completing my trip in Istanbul, Turkey at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis where I found home for the next few years. I made many Syrian friends and gained first-hand insights into conflict in the region. This time was important for me because it led me to realize the privilege I had and how I could use it to provide opportunities for others through learning, training, and professional development.

I went on to live and work in Thailand for four years where I enrolled in a Master's in Instructional Design with my alma mater, FSU, and gained practical instructional design (ID) skills in the Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA). During this time, I applied all of the knowledge and skills in education and training to my ability to actively work with eLearning authoring tools and ID development. Besides creating learning experiences, I have a passion for photography, music, fitness, the outdoors, spirituality & meditation, travel, adventure, and reading books.