My Backstory
I come from a family of people who express themselves through words. Luckily for me, some of these words have been preserved. My grandmother, Frances, left behind a bound book of her wonderful poetry with a bright pink cover. My mother Faith scrawled handwritten legacy letters to each family member expressing her deep love and wishes for our lives. My father Michael wrote first-person essays about his travels and family history, which I compiled into a book at his request.
I find myself drawn back to these books and letters repeatedly. When I sit down with them, the people who matter most are alive on the page, I can hear their voices and picture their expressions. Through this connection, they remain vibrant in my mind and heart.
I believe every family deserves this gift.
About Me
I am a seasoned writer, book author, and interviewer. Over my career I have written hundreds of articles, essays, and reports and interviewed hundreds more for stories that have appeared in national publications; edited and ghostwritten books for public figures; and served as head writer for many organizations such as Tournesol and BuzzWord. I am a founding member of the editorial collective The Prose Doctors.
I serve as a board member and singer with The Threshold Singers of the East Bay, which provides music for people near the end of their lives, and have trained as a patient advocate through the University of Berkeley, California Extension Program. I volunteer my time teaching Backstory workshops at the South Berkeley Senior Center and as a nonprofit grant writer.
I holds a B.A. from Lafayette College and a Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. I live in Berkeley, California.
