I grew up in a small rust-belt town just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, across the street from a steel mill. My childhood was a mix of slag heaps, creek swims, and the magic of small-town America in the 1980s. It was the kind of upbringing straight out of The Sandlot. We rode our bikes all day, dashed home for dinner, and then raced back out to play night tag until the streetlights came on. Latrobe was a pretty special place to call home — after all, it’s the birthplace of Mr. Rogers and the first banana split.

After high school, I ventured to the University of Pittsburgh, where I eventually landed on Environmental Science and Sustainable Development as my major. I’ve always been fascinated by how humans interact with the planet and each other, and how business can be a force for positive momentemum. 

During this time, I began to explore the world. My first big adventure was a summer backpacking through Europe, funded by my job as a server. Later, I spent a semester in Senegal, completing my thesis on micro-lending systems and desertification prevention. The travel bug bit me hard.

After graduation, I dreamed of pursuing an MBA—but the financial reality of that goal sent me on a different path. Instead of diving into student debt, I worked in a bar (26 beers on tap!), saved every penny, and embarked on an 18-month journey across Southeast Asia, India, and Nepal. That trip was epic—worthy of its own book someday, probably titled The Times I Should Have Died. Highlights include studying with the Dalai Lama, becoming a dive master, and trekking to Annapurna Base Camp.

When I returned to the U.S., I settled in San Francisco, where I spent my 20s to 40s working in strategy, product, and go-to-market roles at technology companies focused on cleantech and machine learning (AI). My career evolved from entry-level management to executive leadership, and while the details are on my LinkedIn, let’s just say it was a rich and rewarding journey. During this time, I met my husband (not on Tinder—at Kozy Kar), had a son, and formed a circle of lifelong friends who became family.

Then came March 2020—a moment that changed everything.

What started as a two-week trip to visit my husband’s parents in New Zealand turned into an extended stay, and eventually, a permanent relocation. After a year of remote work for our California employers, we made the decision to build a life in Aotearoa.

With some significant deliberation (read: coaching, therapy, and market research), I realized New Zealand’s burgeoning tech ecosystem was full of potential. I saw an opportunity to contribute my experience and skills to help this ecosystem thrive. I wanted to be a catalyst for conscious growth, supporting founders and their teams as they built transformative companies. Around the same time, I decided I wanted another child—and quickly made that happen.

Aotearoa is brimming with passionate founders and teams who have the expertise, drive, and ambition to shine on the world stage. They’re not just building companies; they’re diversifying and transforming the New Zealand economy. I want to support them all, while being part of a brilliant community working toward a more tech-enabled, diversified Aotearoa.

Today, I’m incredibly grateful to be working in venture capital, where I support a portfolio of founders and teams with best practices in strategy, brand, revenue, and go-to-market strategy. My background in high-growth tech has given me exposure to every corner of company building, and I feel fortunate to also serve on select boards and advise world-changing founders in the U.S.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life is constantly evolving, and change is inevitable. Never say never.