I'm an East TN native who grew up playing outside crushing poke berries, painting on tin with rocks, and digging in the red clay of my backyard. Now I’m a potter! I started my body vessel project in September of 2020 after a diagnosis of a chronic illness. Since then, it's blossomed into a wonderful exploration of loving my body, its limits, and overcoming shame around my illness and imperfections.

I am an engineer with over 25 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, strategy, and innovation most recently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer at Aperam, a multi-billion/yr global manufacturer of stainless steel and specialty alloys. I went from being laughed at when I told professors I wanted to pursue a Ph.D., to leading hundreds of scientists around the world.

When in April of 2011 I lost my mother to breast cancer, I also lost my way. Perseverance and a never give up attitude is certainly something I learned from my Italian American upbringing as well as a love of writing, reading books and the arts. Navigating the grieving process, I turned to writing as a healing tool. I started simply. I would wake in the morning and read from a book that resonated with me.