I empower you to be and communicate your best self in all aspects of life. Whether you are taking a yoga class or music lesson, seeking a performance or artwork to celebrate a loved one or occasion, or in need of a writer to help carry your message forward, I amplify your strengths with my tools so you can move through life more efficiently and joyfully.

My mission is to help people of all ages transform roadblocks into joy and strength. 

I draw from a deep well of power and creativity based on my life experience - I look forward to understanding your needs and how we might work together.  

The oldest of 3, I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  My parents played piano and I quickly took to music as well, learning piano, clarinet, saxophone and flute and writing my own songs.  By high school I was heavily involved in classical and jazz music.  Volunteering at a nursing home gave me a new outlook, and I chose to combine my interests in a music therapy degree at Loyola University-New Orleans.

I began performing professionally in college, playing clarinet/bass clarinet  with the Louisiana Philharmonic and tenor saxophone with the New Orleans Saints Jazz Band.  After completing my music therapy internship at HCA DePaul psychiatric hospital I moved to Denver, where I juggled clarinet instruction and subbing for the Colorado Symphony with music therapy contracts (with developmentally delayed adults, Alzheimer's patients, and in child & adolescent psychiatry) and Activity Director work at a nursing home.  I realized I both loved being of service and had exceptional "performance chops" for public presentations.

The next stop was Dallas, where I have now lived for 25 years.  I deepened my work in adult psychiatry and completed a Masters of Social Work program at University of Texas-Arlington.  I valued my internships at Baylor Home Health and Parkland Hospital, then worked for several years as a counselor for adults and couples at Community Psychotherapy Center.

Following the birth of my children, I made several key transitions.  I decided to deepen my work as a freelance musician, recording twice with the Dallas Symphony as one of their regular subs, and working with the East Texas and Las Colinas Symphonies, among others.  My social work skills found outlets in a volunteer coordinator position in the Lake Highlands schools and as President of the chamber ensemble Camerata Winds (2000-2007).  In that role I wore many hats, expanded my knowledge of city programs and community resources, and mastered everything it takes to run a small organization (talent recruiting; fundraising and grant writing; program development and management).  

Following this tenure, I prioritized my own performing and teaching and began developing my visual art skills.  Quilting classes and competitions led to involvement in Dallas' fiber arts community, experimentation with many forms, and teaching art quilt basics to young children and their parents.  

Summer trips to the Four Corners area and abroad were fantastic opportunities to work in photography and for a number of years my work was displayed at The Old Gallery (Allenspark, CO) and in a variety of other venues in Boulder and Dallas.  Locally, my art has been available at local restaurants, garden centers, and home shows:  for a period of time, I taught a variety of classes at Maker's Connect.

I have recently transitioned out of a Development Director position with the Dallas Chamber Symphony, an innovative organization which I was pleased to support through grant writing, program development, and relationship building with a broad range of civic, religious, and health and human services organizations.  While open to another opportunity of this nature, I am focusing again on my own work and explorations. Yoga teacher training and welding classes at the Creative Arts Center were a highlight of 2018:  I enjoy "sculpting" with both metal and the human form.  I perform regularly with the Plano Symphony and Windsong Trio in addition to other freelance work.  I love my work as the early childhood music and wellness instructor at Dallas Academy of Music & Performing Arts, coaching the Dallas Asian Youth Orchestra winds, and teaching clarinet and beginning piano students.  My yoga and mediation classes support the growth of students of all ages.  

My cup is continuously full with requests for performing, teaching, and art commissions, for which I am grateful.

I welcome opportunities to help individuals and communities move into joy and strength through the expressive arts.  Please contact me to discuss your ideas!