I received my bachelor’s in English language and literature from the University of Maryland-College Park in 2005My career journey has been more of an exploratory meandering than a straight path in any one direction. It has been inclusive of stints teaching ESL to adults, ownership of a pet care service, wholesale beer and wine sales, and work in the restaurant industry while living in Oregon, California, North Carolina, Maryland, DC and Hawaii. The cohesion between these various tasks and places has always been a consciousness of the effects of these industries and other human activities on the environment.

I became particularly interested in the needless amounts of waste each of these industries produces, which has led to the exploration of upcycling, the circular economy, and how circular design can help eradicate a lot of what ends up as waste. Motherhood has opened my eyes further and strengthened my resolve to be on the side of the correction of the exorbitant amounts of needless waste created, rather than a passive contributor. I’m truly excited to formalize my understanding of sustainable design with this program.