I'm passionate about the power of travel and intercultural experiences to foster understanding, create family-sustaining wages for local residents, and build a more compassionate world.

I've spent over a decade working in the nonprofit sector, with my most rewarding experiences revolving around the power of travel. I spent two years at Loyola University Chicago developing NGO leadership curriculum for Cubans and facilitated regular travel to the island for U.S. professors and graduate students. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for a social enterprise, Human Connections, that works to increase empathy across cultures and strengthen communities through responsible travel experiences in the Bay of Banderas, Mexico. I hold a Master's Degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago, where I obtained a cross-disciplinary degree focused on Mexican literature, history, and the immigrant experience at the U.S.-Mexico border.