Born in the salmon capital of the world, Ketchikan, Alaska, some of my earliest memories are of our family on the docks watching the local fishermen haul in the world’s best seafood. The docks were a familiar spot for us because my dad ran our small island communities only grocery and my entrepreneurial mom had taken to offering city tours to cruise ship passengers using the family VW van. I suppose food and tourism were engrained in me from my earliest days, though it would take many more years before I married the two into a career. In my younger years I lived just outside of Seattle, Washington, and fell in love with local grown produce such as apples and strawberries. So much so that I relentlessly hassled my parents into buying me strawberry and tomato plants to grow in our backyard. This was before the appeal of growing food in suburban housing developments was as popular as it is today. When we moved to Portland, Maine I discovered lobster and steamers. And as a teen in Los Angeles, California I became a taco and street food enthusiast. Now back home in Seattle, I am always on the hunt for delicious new restaurants, or great recipes I can try at home.

Prior to joining Savor Seattle as the Senior Manager I spent my most recent years working in the Seattle startup scene using powerful data aggregation to make homeownership more joyful. Before that I was traveling the west coast, Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico as an Operations Manager for a boutique-adventure yachting company. Here at Savor Seattle, I work with our incredible team to make exploring Seattle a multi-sensorial and deliciously joyful experience for visitors and locals alike. When I am not at work you can find me dining around town, running along the waterfront, firing up a BBQ at my place in the foodie paradise neighborhood of Ballard, or most often, spoiling my Beagle puppy Patsy at a dog park nearby.

I have been working tirelessly, visiting happy hours all around Seattle expanding my knowledge of the food and drinks that make this city great. As a reformed vegetarian, I now enjoy eating meat daily and will often order the strangest sounding body part on the menu, since I am making up for lost time. When not eating bone marrow, tongue, or sweetbreads, I can usually be found acting on a Seattle stage somewhere, or in a park playing with my daughter. I’m also a rabid sports fan, decent cook, and enjoy solving and creating crossword puzzles on those notorious rainy Seattle days.

Two common threads throughout my life are the love of people and the love of a good experience. When the two are combined, it’s these moments that make me take a step back breathe in deep and remember just how good life is.

Originally from Arkansas, I moved to Seattle after graduating from the University of Houston. My career has been spent connecting people, visitors and locals alike, to the amazing area we live in. From working in a luxury hotel to being a small business owner to working at Savor Seattle all have been centered on people and experiences.

Side note: Please let me know if you ever need a recommendation on what to do or where to go. 

Much to my husband’s delight my personal life revolves around food. What new recipe or ingredient can I play with? What new restaurant can we experience? Who can we have over for dinner? What hidden gems can I find in small local towns. Doing my best to stay forever curious and laughing as much as I can.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, the Emerald City has always been a place full of discovery and excitement. I find Seattle culture – the people, places, communities and traditions- authentic and unique. My day trips into the city are adventuresome; like the time I was in a food coma at the Bite of Seattle or when I attempted the 5 lb. Burrito challenge at Taco Del Mar for Cinco De Mayo in 2009…got thru only half way!

My grandmother is the reason why I love food. She hosted numerous potlucks and parties for her friends and community. She understood how food can bring people together, and I loved that. I follow my grandmother’s tradition as a tour guide and host for Savor Seattle. I invite you to come explore the city with me!