Biography

Originally born in Iowa City, Iowa to the parents of European immigrants, I spent much of my youth travelling Western Europe and exploring the cultural differences between my family and other local American households. When our family moved to Florida in the early 2000's, I immersed myself in Hispanic culture, learning Guatemalan, Peruvian, and Cuban culinary specialties and picking up the lingua franca of Central American Spanish.

As an adult, I've been impassioned by international work and spent much of my life exploring the world and working in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Central America. The opportunity to learn from new cultures is an incredible gift, but it is the similarities between people across the world that continues to surprise and uplift me. Whether you are an American working in corporate tax accounting or a mother of eight in a conservative Islamic society, a need for easily accessible information, a desire for limited boundaries, and a human yearning for basic rights and a healthy environment are universal.

Technology is creating some of the most significant opportunities and barriers for sustainable, dignified living. I work across development fields to identify, prototype, and build technical stratgies that scale positive social impact.

In my personal time, I enjoy the outdoors and exploring our colorful, verdant earth. I am a PADI certified Divemaster, competitive freediver, rock-climbing and trekking enthusiast, and a burgeoning mountaineer. I also actively work to increase my technical proficiency in programming, database management, and the specs of ICT4D innovation.