WHO AM I? WHAT'S MY STORY?
ONCE UPON A TIME, WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD, I WAS MY FAMILY'S MUSICAL ALARM CLOCK AS I GOT MYSELF READY FOR SCHOOL AND STARTED PRACTICING PIANO AT 7AM.
Everyone relied on THEIR musical wake-up call, and I carried that sense of responsibility into the rest of my personal and professional life.
Then, once upon another time 15 years later, I was a London School of Economics-trained economist working in Kenya, speaking fluent Kiswahili and providing loans and business management support to micro-entrepreneurs in villages and small towns around the country.
That was the beginning of a successful career in development finance and business strategy, eventually stretching me via business school into strategy consulting and a senior management position at Chase Manhattan Bank in NYC.
So I've always been a very adaptable person!
I'M JUST AS COMFORTABLE SITTING ON THE GROUND AND SHARING A MEAL WITH A MAASAI FAMILY IN THE NGONG HILLS AS I AM
MAKING A PRESENTATION TO A GROUP OF WALL STREET EXECUTIVES.
BUT THE UNIVERSE WANTED TO KNOW JUST HOW ADAPTABLE I COULD BE…
Starting a family and being blessed with intense active children, I realized that I had to do the parenting thing full time. Wow! That had not been my plan. But it quickly became my calling!
Fortunately I was supported in this endeavor by good health, strong conviction, years of problem solving and strategy execution, single-minded results orientation, resource security, and a massive dose of creativity.
Additionally, I studied and synthesized research from developmental psychology, education, parenting, and health management, pulling all the pieces together that made up an exciting path to success and fulfillment for my kids and family.
Now that the kids are grown, I get to spend most of my time hanging out with my husband and best friend, Lewis. We love living and working in the beautiful Bay Area, surrounded by nature and dance and art and sports ... and of course, community.
... Very!
Now I bring my passion and skills to other families and/or individuals grappling with a complex life like mine: family business, special needs, homeschooling, extended family medical care, community engagement, parent education, property management, finance…
I am very excited to bring all of myself to your life and family, supporting and empowering you to integrate the various pieces of your lives into a balanced whole.
It has been quite a journey!
WHAT DO I VALUE?
Integrity, loyalty, connection, consistency, generosity, beauty…
WHY AM I DOING THIS WORK?
I wrote the following paragraph ~25 years ago when I was still working in Kenya. I have revisited it often over the years and find it still ringing true.
"When I look back over My Life, I want to have made a personal contribution to the development of an environment where people are empowered to improve their lives. I want to participate in the promotion of economic and social progress towards wisdom and well-being in the world."
What matters most to me, after years of working internationally and then managing my own wonderfully complex family system, is contributing to thriving communities through the parents and families that build and fuel them. I want to do my part in making the world the best it can be, so I'd love to hear what you need and how I might be able to contribute.
The spirit of these words has resonated whether I'm working globally or locally, and the last 20+ years have been the most local of all -- inside my family and community. I am excited to bring this same spirit to you!
I partner with you to help assess your circumstances and understand your needs, and we determine how closely your reality aligns with your goals.
We explore how you want to show up in the world, and strategize together about how you can get there.
I work with you individually or within your family, home, and/or office in whatever configuration is called for. As a trusted advisor and thought partner who has navigated many of the hurdles you are facing, I will help you get clear and move forward with sanity.
We can work concretely with the help of my assessment tools that will help you identify pain points and clarify priorities, or we can work at a more intuitive level if that's where you are more comfortable.