About

Writer’s Life

I knew I wanted to be a writer at the age of eight. I come by the calling honestly.

The first five years of my life unfurled seaside amidst an ad-hoc Pacific Northwest artists’ beach colony.

The eclectic group of writers, artists, and photographers included folks like Frank Herbert, author of Dune.

As a girl, I distinctly remember sitting around a bonfire at night while the adults laughed, told stories, and passed around a jug of Hearty Gallo Burgundy.

Here, my father, a larger-than-life aspiring writer-turned PR person (and later, political operative), instilled in me my love of words, art, culture, photography, and music.

He also gave me my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my heart to feel – gifts necessary for any writer.

Arriving at my writing life proved a true hero’s journey, not unlike the people about whom I write. We each took a leap of faith, encountered villains, enlisted allies and mentors, and overcame obstacles (in my case, crippling shyness). Most importantly, we each eventually won our battles,  and share its boon with our communities.

Today, I’m an award-winning writer and contributor to consumer, B2B, and B2C platforms worldwide, with a focus upon food, wine, travel,  and sustainability. I also ghost write, a genre requiring the invaluable skill of  discretion.

Ultimately, I desire to move, touch and inspire others through my work, and in doing so, create value.

My work:

My works appear in numerous publications and platforms worldwide, including The Drinks Business, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Business Monthly. Additionally, I served as an Oregon field editor to the 2022 Slow Wine Guide USA .

An Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year 2020 award winner and 2021 Shortlist winner, I’m also a Meadowood Professional Wine Writer Symposium Fellowship recipient, and judge for professional wine events.

Moreover, I also moderate diverse industry panel discussions and webinars, such as Rhône Rangers “OR-Rhônegonians”,  Oregon Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley sparkling wine, and  Brexit: State of Play. Other visual experience includes video correspondent for FoodableTV. 

On the geekier side, my professional affiliations include Society of American Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Circle of Wine Writers (CWW), Academy of Media Tastemakers – TASTE, Gotham Ghost Writers, and International Travel Writers Alliance (MITWA).

A graduate of Smith College, my  designations include Bourgogne Master Level, Champagne Master Level, and French Wine Scholar from the Wine Scholar Guild, as well as Wine Fundamentals I & II through the International Sommelier Guild.  

Link to my more of my work here.