I have always attempted to see the world through different people’s “lenses” to get a better grasp on how to relate to them.  It started out simple, with my dolls, then progressed into my friendships, family, teachers, boyfriends, and eventually into my marriage, my children, and my clients. I studied what I loved at Duke, cognitive and developmental psychology, which validated my core belief that understanding people on a deeper level was the direction my life needed to take.

So, naturally, as a 22-year-old passionately focused on connection and human behavior, I took a job in NYC at an investment bank. Yep. I was so focused on the right next steps, I ignored my “calling” and instead did what I thought I should do. That chapter was short lived, as I am quick to notice when I’m miserable, and I job-hopped for a couple of years trying to figure out what I wanted to do that would be fulfilling.  I taught Kindergarten in Manhattan (hardest job I’ve ever had, thank you teachers!) and worked in marketing at Scholastic.  Still didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

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Returning to my unyielding interest in cognitive and emotional development and Positive Psychology, my next stop became Cambridge, MA.  There I was able to design my own Master’s Degree at Harvard University within the Human Development and Psychology track.  This truly formative experience allowed me the opportunity to study under groundbreaking heroes in the fields of psychology, development and education.

Upon graduation, I was one of the first team members of a new internet startup (big deal in ’99!) where I was in charge of developing behavioral and personality analyses for a website that was eventually purchased by Monster.com. After writing nearly 100 of these tests, I moved to Denver to be with my (now) husband and started a successful private practice, Learning Matters, where I worked with children to modify and personalize their academic information for their unique learning styles, while boosting their confidence and self-advocacy skills.