I am a recent graduate of CU’s Master of the Environment program. After working 10+ years in food service and retail, I decided to continue my lifelong pursuit of food knowledge through a lens of sustainability. I am building a career where I can contribute my passion for food, service, and community to creating a more resilient, responsible, and just food system. My time in the restaurant industry opened my eyes to a dynamic in which food production and service is only profitable when the inputs into the system are undervalued. After finishing culinary school and entering the restaurant kitchen, this dynamic was laid bare. Choosing the life of a chef meant choosing a lifestyle in which you were guaranteed to be overworked and under paid. This realization did not subdue my desire to work with food and people, so I transitioned to working in the front of the house. Even though the economics and lifestyle of this work was better, it was still not sustainable. The system was still built on the assumption that there is an inherent trade-off between working with food and economic success. The inability to accept this trade-off as inevitable is why I decided to return to school and pursue a role in food system sustainability. I am applying my skills in relationship building, problem solving, and detail management to creating partnerships amongst stakeholders that center service, reciprocity, and resourcefulness. I have been shaped by the ins and outs of running a family business, seeing love expressed through food, and living the value of a strong community. My core values are openness, never stop learning, and to show up in my work in a way that reflects my gratitude for my place in the world. I find joy in traveling and collecting new experiences, fellowship over food, hiking, golfing, four-legged family members, and connecting others. My co-workers, family, and friends call me considerate, helpful, and dependable.