About Me

As an activist, author, and independent journalist for over 20 years, I have found a passion for social justice. Marrying that love to my experience led me to create The arcHIVe project, a non-profit dedicated to HIV/AIDS education, anti-stigma work, community outreach, and support to San Diego’s AIDS Service organizations and those affected by the virus. I had the pleasure of serving as the Board President and as Executive Director for over a decade.

In 2011 I was brought on as a contributing writer for the EDGE Media Network covering local and national topics of interest. As a theatre critic I reviewed regional theatre productions and covered the openings of some of the decades biggest Broadway hits. These included the Tony© Award-Winning “A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Come From Away,” “The Scottsboro Boys,” the critically-acclaimed George Takei produced “Allegiance,” and over 80 other productions.

Using my experience as a non-profit executive, I began writing for a national audience regarding HIV/AIDS issues covering PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), continuity of and proper care for People Living Positively, and serodiscordant relationships. I also published and produced three plays with HIV/AIDS as a central theme staged in the United States, Scotland, the UK, and Canada culminating with the critically-acclaimed “Disclosure.” Debuting at the Speckle’s Theatre in San Diego, California, as part of the San Diego International Fringe Festival, it was one of the top attended productions.

My passion for social justice and work experience started during my undergraduate work at Colorado State University. While studying Public Relations and Technical Journalism, I became involved with the university’s LGBT student organization. That experience eventually led me to a staff position in the LGBT Student Services office, now the Pride Resource Center. As a community and campus outreach coordinator, I was responsible for facilitating discussions with classes, campus and community organizations, media relations, and coordinated campus-wide activities.

Always striving to find equity for the underserved, I began focusing on leadership and diversity courses and extracurricular activities. In those years, I completed the President’s Leadership Program. I became a regular facilitator with the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement. The School of Social Work approached me about co-teaching a senior-level course on LGBT identity development, history, and culture, an honor and a highlight of my studies. This work allowed me to create, with University staff, a certificate in Leadership and Diversity, a course of study that is now the Interdisciplinary Leadership Minor program at CSU.

I had the privilege of working with the Coors Brewing Company utilizing my skills to help with corporate outreach to the LGBT community as well as facilitating the company’s LGBT employee group, LAGER (Lesbian and Gay Employee Resource). After moving to San Diego, I began laying roots within the higher education communities before transitioning to a full-time role working with INTERLUDE Magazine as Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales. The call to public service was too great and it was then that I decided a return to the not-for-profit life was essential to me. It was in 2010 that I synergized my passion and experience to create “The arcHIVe project” and my calling to make a lasting impact in this world was finally realized.