Small Business Owner & Public Servant

I'm a fourth-generation Southern Californian and second-generation San Diego County resident. I grew up splitting my time between Los Angeles and north San Diego County.

In 1947, my great-grandmother moved to Los Angeles with my teenage grandfather. My family has been in Southern California ever since.

My parents met working together at the same law firm in Beverly Hills. I was born in Los Angeles, at the same hospital where my mom was born. When my parents separated, my mom and I moved into my grandmother's home in the Echo Park neighborhood, the house where my mother and her sisters grew up.

In 1994, my mom's sister moved from Echo Park to the La Costa area, right along the Encinitas/Carlsbad border. I regularly visited my aunt because as an only child, my first cousin was like a sibling to me.

My Dad also eventually made his way to San Diego County, where he has lived for about 20 years. My Dad is a veteran and he previously owned and operated a small boutique gym on Rancho Santa Fe Road, but he ultimately transitioned to a corporate job. My stepmom and step siblings were all born and raised in SD County.

I deeply love this community and every day I feel so lucky to wake up in paradise. I am committed to protecting and preserving what makes Encinitas so special.

I was born a 1.5 hour drive from Encinitas, at a hospital in Los Angeles. I first came to Encinitas in 1994 because my mom's sister lived just off La Costa Ave. She moved there with my uncle and younger cousin who attended local schools.

I continued to visit Encinitas regularly for my entire life. As a college student, I found myself especially drawn to Soul of Yoga and the spiritual dimensions of our community. I delved deeper into the richness of our health and wellness scene after I became a certified yoga teacher in 2012. I considered pursuing a San Diego-based doctoral program in 2014, but was ultimately accepted to a UCLA master's degree program, currently ranked #1 for city planning.

I reluctantly returned to the concrete jungle to complete my master's degree, but remained connected to this area because of my Dad, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Encinitas was always a safe haven for me and I vowed to make it my permanent home in the future after I built the financial security that would allow me to afford our high cost of living.

I began a doctoral program in SD in 2021 and was visiting more often, staying with friends and family.

I secured a local business license the same month I was able to transition my small business here, which was initially my primary focus upon making Encinitas my full-time home in 2022.

Eager to give back to the community, I applied to the Encinitas Environmental Commission in January 2023. While I didn't get appointed because the Council affirmed their longstanding practice of reappointing incumbents, they unanimously praised my qualifications and urged me to stay engaged and to seek additional opportunities to serve our city.  

I went on to join the Leucadia 101 Main Street Association's Board of Directors and got involved with various local causes as a dedicated volunteer. Later, I was appointed to represent Encinitas on the San Diego County Community Action Board as the District 3 representative.

I continue to serve our community as a local board member and small business owner.

As a 17-year old, I went to trade school so I could learn practical skills to help pay my way through college.

I became a licensed cosmetologist and initially worked as a part-time hair stylist in high-end salons while I attended Santa Monica Community College.

I went on to transfer to UC Berkeley, where I earned two bachelors' degrees and a minor in music. A year after graduating, I moved back to Southern California so I could complete my master's degree at UCLA.

As a UCLA graduate student, I worked on coastal and transportation planning matters part-time, serving the City of Santa Monica and the County of Marin, in addition to private sector work in Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains. After I graduated from UCLA, I was ready to leave the traffic and smog of LA, and considered relocating to Leucadia.

My primary focus was to build a career in public service, but the starting salary for a new grad is hardly competitive in Encinitas.

I was able to secure a job working for the Coastal Commission in Northern California, living in an affordable place nestled amongst the redwoods. My passion for addressing critical infrastructure issues led me to transition into working for Caltrans.

Over time, I became very homesick and really missed living near my family and friends. I started visiting more regularly once the intensity of the pandemic lessened, and I was ultimately able to fully relocate in 2022.

I am a part-time business owner with an office in Olivenhain. I have a small retail store with skincare and wellness products. I have been in the beauty and wellness industry for 15 years.

As a certified yoga teacher, I incorporate movement, meditation, breathwork, and other practices to facilitate wellness for body, mind and spirit. I also practice therapeutic forms of manual therapy, specializing in craniosacral therapy and lymphatic drainage. In addition, I offer facials using a holistic approach with natural and organic clean skincare products.