There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It is why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.
- Oprah Winfrey
Image by Erica Sciaretta
My Calling:
People experience being profoundly connected.
What is a calling? It is my “why”, what underlies everything I do, from my professional life, to how I am with my family and friends, and when I am with myself.
How did I get here?
My first attempt at a bachelor’s in Astrophysics was solely a response to my 8 year old self being told that girls don’t do Astronomy. I never had the chance to explore what I truly wanted because “I was gonna show them”. This led me to a Physics major with a concentration in Environmental Sciences, because I was, is, and always will be a tree-hugger. Unapologetically.
Environmental sciences led me to biology, specifically neuroscience, because, dude! THE BRAIN.
My PhD (in the Sklar Lab) studying the kinetics behind the activation of G-Protein Coupled Receptors in white blood cells led me (with forays into start-ups - Regenesis Biomedical) to GPCR’s in the brain (in the Chavkin Lab) where I realized that Academia was not for me. I liked talking about the brain at a high level way more than dissecting it.
I moved into Science Communication, landing a gig of a life-time with the Allen Institute for Brain Science where I got to interact with the world about how the brain works.
My time at the Allen:
At the Allen, I learned I loved the brain, open science, data visualization, public speaking, and that the people you work with make the place extraordinary. I also learned that there is nuance in being able to access the data you want and connect it to the concepts you need.
That led me on a journey (through CVBio) where it seems it has all come together.
Data science, interactive data visualization, world-class dev teams, software that brings the people together with the data critical to producing innovation, and a culture that supports all of it.
At Exaptive, I was doing all the cool things I loved from my past, and connecting all the important things together: forging connection and innovation in a world that sorely needed it. Unfortunately, even that goodness comes to an end. I’m exploring what calls to me next. In the meantime, if you need communications work, problem solving or some knowledge brokering, let me know.
All of this is only possible because of those I love the most:
My love:
My children:
Our besties:
what else inspires me?
Creating a world where love wins. Check it out.
