As a child living on a ranch in San Luis Obispo, I remember the wildfires that would frequently threaten our property and livestock and will never forget being awoken in the middle of the night to evacuate during one particularly fast-moving fire. At the age of 24 I created my first preparedness and communication plan for my family and knew I’d found my calling.

I worked for the American Red Cross as a Community Engagement Manager, serving as the lead functional expert for Red Cross Preparedness programs and community partner development and reached over 10,000 individuals with community disaster education programs in addition to recruiting, training, and managing  volunteers.

I currently serve as Captain of our Carmel C.E.R.T. Team (Community Emergency Response Team). This program focuses on disaster preparedness, search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. We work side by side with first responders who rely on us during disaster situations. As a passionate community volunteer, I am proud to serve many service organizations in my community.