I grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee, splitting my time between suburban life and a rural farm along the Cumberland River. Attending college at Austin Peay State University, I studied biology, with a concentration in plant taxonomy, as well as a strong foundation in chemistry, paleontology, and humanities.

My father was a photojournalist, so I developed a passion for photography. My parents were talented cooks, each bringing their culinary traditions to the kitchen. My father, a Portuguese-Italian who grew up in California, cooked with olive oil and avocados and made tamales and pots of spicy beans. My mother, a multigenerational Southerner, excelled in fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits and cornbread, and fresh vegetables from the garden, beautifully prepared or home-preserved for the winter months.

Graduate studies at Vanderbilt University taught me the arts and sciences of plant ecology, evolution, taxonomy, and the principles and practice of teaching science. In 1989, I began a two-year tenure as a Lecturer in Biology at the University of Malawi, following my service with the United States Peace Corps—one of the most humbling, transformative, and joyful experiences of my life. While there, I was asked to advise on the curriculum for Malawi's new medical school, which sparked my passion for medical education.

I spent 30 years in medical education at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where my work encompassed writing and communications, curriculum development, teaching, strategic visioning, leading large-scale change, organizational development, mentorship, and designing and programming learning spaces.

This life experience provided me with the foundation to pursue passions for writing, architecture, history, foodways, organizational development, and mentorship.