My Backstory
I come from a family of people who expressed themselves through words. Luckily for me, some of these words have been preserved. My grandmother, Frances, left behind a bound book of her poetry with a bright pink cover. My mother Faith scrawled handwritten legacy letters to each family member expressing her 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 often find myself drawn back to these books and letters. Their words don’t just keep my mom, dad, and grandma present in my life, they anchor me to my roots and remind me of who I am.
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 such as The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Natural Health, and Yoga Journal; 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 at the bedside for people at the end of their lives, and have trained as a patient advocate through the University of Berkeley, California Extension Program. I volunteer teaching Backstory workshops at the South Berkeley Senior Center and as a nonprofit grant writer.
I hold a B.A. from Lafayette College and a Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. I live in Berkeley, California.