WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO READ ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE BIO.

LIFE IS SHORT.

I know this as I experienced it firsthand, and I am passionate about helping others take care of themselves from the inside out.

Before I turned 22, I lived a lifetime of “interruptions” – those experiences that take us away from the normal grind, the bliss of the everyday.

While studying abroad in Buenos Aires, I realized I had a swollen lymph node on the right side of my neck. It felt like déjà vu as I experienced flashbacks of my sister’s cancer diagnosis 4 years prior.

A biopsy, bone marrow test, and various PET-CT scans later, my fears were confirmed: I was indeed diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – just like my sister. I flew back home to New York City and began treatment immediately.

AS IF THAT WASN’T ENOUGH OF AN INTERRUPTION,

Two months into my six-month treatment with chemo, my mother – my everything – passed away from Leukemia, just two floors down from my infusion room.

It shook the ground beneath my feet. My heart sank. Nausea slithered through my bones, swirling with the precariousness of my own health. The uncertainty of where I was going to live, how I was going to pay for my healthcare, and who was going to take care of me was overwhelming. Everything around me was crumbling. I knew that I could let this make me a victim, or, I could take charge of my life and take care of my own health and happiness.

I CHOSE TO TAKE CHARGE.

For me, life was no longer about surviving. No, it was something bigger: it was about living. Each day became a precious gift that allowed me to prioritize and express my true self. During treatment, I spent my energy and time exploring who I was and what I valued. I steered myself through darkness and uncertainty so that I could find light and beauty again. I may not have been in control of everything that was happening inside my body, but I knew that I could control my mindset, what I fed myself, what activities I involved myself in, how I interacted with others, and with whom I spent my time.

And still to this day, I work to own and love each breath, taste, smell, touch and sound I experience.

WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO TODAY?

After what I call my “shit storm”, and after I graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in American Culture, I had the urge to move back to Buenos Aires, a city I’d fallen in love with. I planted roots there for a year and a half while running my own Pilates and meditation business.

Helping people feel physically fit was rewarding, but I always knew I wanted to help people feel mentally and emotionally fit as well. I decided to move to Seattle (with the love of my life!), which was pretty much the other side of the world from where I was, to become a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. I deepened my meditation practice and training by graduating as a Trained Mindfulness Facilitator through UCLA’s Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

BUT THAT STILL WASN’T ENOUGH!

Creating a sense of community and genuine interaction feeds my soul. That’s why I lead corporate workshops helping company cultures create Life Capital ™, pop-up meditations, and virtual group coaching programs around the country. I feel passionate about supporting people in creating space for themselves to pause, breathe and connect with themselves and other like-minded individuals.

I am the creator of Centered in the City—an on demand mindfulness and self-care platform that supports you feeling calm, centered, focused and energized amid the chaos of life. I also host of the popular Centered in the City podcast that offers modern meditations and authentic conversations around the light and shadow side of self-care and mindfulness.

In addition, I’m a contributor to MindBodyGreen.com, Thrive Global, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Survivorship blog, and you can find me in other press here. I love facilitating interactive workshops to support people embodying this work into their lives. I am currently writing a book about mindful tips to help nourish your body from the inside out.

During my play time, I can be spotted working out, hiking, meditating, exploring grocery stores, discovering new bakeries/restaurants/cafés, spending time with friends & family, writing, and cooking creative and healthy meals. Most of all, I love connecting with new people. So connect with me. I would love to hear from you!