My Story
"Do what you love and help others."
My performing journey began at the age of 3, when I first started taking ballet class. I continued to train and dance throughout my youth, adding on new styles such as tap, jazz, and competitive dance once I got to high school.
As part of a Navy family, I grew up moving around every 3 years - from being born in Monterey, California, to Florida, Virginia Beach, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Northern Virginia - until my dad retired after an admirable 22-year Navy career. It was during our stint in Mississippi when I first discovered theater. My mom caught wind of the local theater scene, and I auditioned for my first show - an original play called Celtic Secret - at Gulfport Little Theatre. I was cast in the illustrious, hair-raising (literally) part of "Air Faerie." From then on, I was hooked.
I continued to perform, dance, and sing through the rest of our time in Mississippi, and when we landed in Hawaii - our next home - the first thing I did was seek out local theaters. I auditioned for and was accepted into the Diamond Head Theatre Shooting Stars, a prestigious performing group for kids and teens directed by John Rampage. Through this group I had the opportunity to perform around the state at public events, develop an elite tapping skillset, and also share the stage with noteworthy names, including Jim Nabors (TV's beloved Gomer Pyle) in A Merry Christmas with Friends and Nabors, a live performance at the Hawaii Theatre Center in Honolulu. I continued to train in singing and dancing throughout our time in Hawaii, taking ballet class 4 times a week at Ballet Hawaii.
Then, my family moved to Northern Virginia, where I started high school at WT Woodson, performing 3 years with the Woodson Varsity Precisionettes Dance Team - competing in UDA Nationals each each, and also winning state championship titles with the WT Woodson Crew team. It was during high school that I became laser-focused on academic and professional success, and with extracurriculars and dance team taking up so much of my time, my theatre endeavors started to wane (although I did perform as Rizzo in Grease my senior year!)
With 2 Penn State alumni for parents, the choice to attend Penn State for college was always at the back of my mind growing up (we bleed blue and white!) but when I made the nationally-renowned Penn State Lionettes Dance Team, it was an easy decision to make. As a Lionette, I performed at every home football game in front of crowds of over 100,000 people at Beaver Stadium, as well as at men's and women's basketball games for 4 years. Academically, I double majored in both English Literature and Public Relations, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
After graduating from college, I moved out to San Diego to start a job with CBS Interactive, working in their College Sports Division. But, after a few years working in the corporate marketing world, I had the deep and deliberate feeling that something was not quite right. I hopped from job to job, trying to find the right fit, but nothing filled that void of "fulfillment" and "purpose."
Then... in 2016, something wonderful happened: I reconnected with my passion of performing. I was cast in a production of A Chorus Line at Coronado Playhouse and well... you could say the rest in history!
In 2018 - after a "eureka" moment during a vacation to Hawaii - I officially quit my 9-5 and started my own business in effort to create more time for my art, and to help empower and equip other confident female creators and artists with tools for success. Through my company, Poised & Professional, I offer my services as a Career Mentor, Personal Branding Strategist, and Marketing Consultant to professional women of all ages.
My first book, "35 Days on Confidence Find Your Voice, Fulfill Your Dreams & Focus Your Inner Power," was published in January 2019. You can find it on Amazon here.
Nowadays, I spend as much time acting as I possible can - in regional theaters in San Diego, and also on-camera in commercials and the occasional film.
Thanks for being here! Let's do good, together.