I graduated from Oswego State University and attended the Sewanee Writers’ Conference before receiving two fellowships to Summer Literary Seminars in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Nairobi, Kenya. It was during my time visiting rural communities in Kenya that I became determined to pursue work in the nonprofit sector.

I lived in Manhattan for 16 years, where I began my career as a fashion designer and merchandiser. At the same time, writing remained an important part of my life. I loved being a writing instructor for the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Writers Workshop, founded by author Ian Frazier, and for The National Arts Club’s creative writing program for underserved youth. I’m the author of the novel I Always Cry at Weddings (WhiteFire Publishing, 2015), with all proceeds from the book supporting the nonprofit I founded, Lift the Lid. This path has given me the opportunity to be a guest and keynote speaker at numerous book signings, schools and charity events.

The boldest step I made was leaving the fashion world to focus on work that could make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. In 2010, I founded Lift the Lid (LTL), a global educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds to build and develop schools and provide scholarships that keep children attending them. One hundred percent of donations go directly toward our projects, from building Keneni Stars Academy in Bomet County and Lenana Girls’ High School in Kitale, Kenya, to supporting Filipino street children from grade school through college.

At Lift the Lid, we also partner with schools and nonprofit organizations around the world to foster international connections and encourage young people to discover and exercise their voices through writing and creative expression. Today, our programs and funding impact more than 600 students each year in Kenya, Tanzania, the Philippines, and the United States.

Our mission is not only to transform the lives of young people, but to empower them to transform their communities.