How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
I came in October 2021—so four years last month.

What was your initial experience?
It was life-changing.

I had never heard more scripture in my life—and I grew up in bible churches. It was surprising.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
I love that the lectionary guides our readings—as opposed to a preacher choosing scripture to push a personal agenda. I see the scriptures as a wholistic narrative that informs my daily life.

And I appreciate the connection I feel to the historic church and the liturgy (including the pace of the service). I’m not sure how to describe it other than that I feel I could come here on my worst day or my best day and the worship service will be like a tuning fork where I—and everyone else—can get aligned.

This is also the first church community that I’ve been a part of that has women in the highest levels of leadership and includes their voices in making decisions. As a woman, I’ve had opportunities here to share parts of myself that had previously not been welcomed or identified in a church setting.

How do you share your gifts at Saint Philip’s?
I’ve served on the Strategic Planning Committee.

I’m on the Vestry, and will complete my three year term at the Annual Meeting on January 25, 2026. I’ve also served as a delegate to the diocesan convention.

Being a newcomer to the Anglican tradition, I can’t think of a better way to have been formed during the past few years.

How do you want to be formed?
I want to be formed to see people the way God does. Meaning…who does God have eyes for and are those the people that I see? Am I working towards seeing the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed? Do I see the humanity and dignity in every person?

What’s something that can be challenging for you?
Because I have a great amount of empathy and am always making connections, I can see things from multiple perspectives. That puts me in position of not always feeling like I belong because I don’t live in any single space.

I don’t live in a black/white world. I want to see color and be ok with the many shades of gray.

I only recently learned that I’m neurodivergent. And that has made all the difference.

What difference has that realization made?
I now understand better why I am the way I am. My brain and the way I see the world is unique, but I have to honor how it works.

I see all sorts of possibilities for connections and bridges but that means I don’t think linearly. And it’s not optimal for consistent productivity.

Visioning and strategizing require time to think, create, reflect, and rest—and that doesn’t always happen in the typical 9:00am-5:00pm work day. I don’t fit in that world, and that used to be difficult for me to accept.

Learning about and honoring who I am has improved my mental health significantly. Now, I know there is a lot more to life than just surviving it.

What role or difference does faith play in your life?
Faith is a part of my every breath. I’ve endured a lot of different and difficult circumstances, and just this morning I reflected with amazement that I still have hope, can smile, and want to dance in the kitchen.

I’ve asked myself how I have the audacity to keep going in the face of the tragedy and loss I’ve experienced. I believe it’s because of the divine thread of love that has woven itself into my story—and I’ve simply said yes at each juncture along the way.

It’s been hard to arrive at this place where I keep saying yes to the work of love in my life. There were many years where I couldn’t think in those terms; my capacity wasn’t what it is now.

I no longer try to control the outcome so I can be shaped by love.

What helps you face your fears and receive that love?
I’ve learned not to be afraid of big emotions. I still feel them but I’m no longer afraid to be with them and then to show compassion to them and see them leave.

The other option is to live in fear and to live small. But that’s not what I believe God wants for us.

What do you do professionally?
I own two gift shops—one here in Tucson and the other in Gilbert. They’re both called, “Why I Love Where I Live.” That stemmed from not being excited about having moved to Tucson and wanting to change that perspective.

I’ve always loved photography and came up with the idea of using my camera to see Tucson through a new lens. So I started an experiment in gratitude and took pictures of things I found interesting or unique or wanted to learn more about. Things evolved from there.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
When I see something that could be better I usually try to make it better—and don’t really rest until I see that happen.

That’s informed your most recent venture, correct?
It did. During the pandemic and the years following, I co-founded a non-profit called Infuse Tucson. It’s purpose is to affirm, support, and resource out-of-the-box mission ideas to serve Tucson, Arizona.

We partner with local congregations to help train and mentor Christian entrepreneurs who want to do the businesses of mission—addressing social and spiritual needs—while achieving financial self-sufficiency.

What inspired you to create Infuse?
I have lots of ideas and I also like to see people develop in good, healthy, sustainable ways. Why not make both possible?

Infuse gives me the opportunity to be part of planting seeds, helping them grow, and being in the center of the action but—because of my role—I don’t have to tend to those seeds directly. I’m a better planter than I am a gardener.

What’s a lesson you keep having to learn?
That I can’t over-extend myself.

I’m getting better, though, at acknowledging what things cost me energy and what things give me energy—and finding a way to weave them together.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also become more discerning about where I can have the most impact. I’m learning when to say “no,” and understand now that it can take a lot of “nos” to get to a great “yes.”

What’s one of your superpowers?
I can find beauty in unexpected places.

And what makes that a superpower?
I think being able to see beauty in spaces that aren’t obviously attractive—think complex, messy situations—invites room for hope, and reminds others that there is good in the world.

And wanting to restore beauty to things that have been broken, motivates me to get in the game of life and not sit on the sidelines.

I could probably come up with a reason why brushing teeth is a holy act and has meaning in God’s purpose of restoring the world, pushing back on the effects of sin, and opening more opportunities to create goodness.

What’s something you’re proud of?
I‘m proud that I can find joy in difficult circumstances. I no longer live in fear about what might or might not happen because I’ve reached a place of internal peace and joy that can’t be shaken. I don’t know how to describe that except as a gift from God. And a dash of gutsiness perhaps!

What’s something you know now that your younger self didn’t?
That living an authentic life takes courage but it’s the foundation for joy.

What’s one of your core values?
Curiosity. I love learning from other people’s perspectives and experiences because they give me a richer, fuller view of life.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a mother. I love being able to see things in my two children that are unique, and to help them build on their skills and talents.

I see my kids as unique individuals and know that my job is to help them in a conscious and loving way to be more of who they are.

And being around them helps me continue to learn. They are some of my greatest teachers and mirrors. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them being a part of my life.

Is your approach to parenting informed by how you were raised?
It is. I’ve cultivated a more expansive view of parenting and developing children.

As a young girl I was interested in history and politics, but the people around me had a very limited view on what roles women could hold. I missed out on being formed in certain ways, and I never followed the trails of my interests because they weren’t a part of what I could imagine being part of.

My hope is that I can nurture my children with a big imagination of who God has called them to be.

What’s something about you that friends have said they really appreciate?
My intentionality in the things I do, and my light-hearted, playful approach to how I live.

Have you done something new recently?
I’ve started sharing my writing publicly. I’ve been paid to write before but not for my personal work.

How do you enjoy relaxing?
I’m really into sports. I love them all but I especially love baseball.

Baseball is a great way to nourish my competitive side while also connecting and having conversations. There’s a slowness to the game that allows me to catch up with a friend but also be present to what’s unfolding on the field.

I love the immediate connection that fans have with one another. It crosses divides and neutralizes differences. I love that feeling of cheering alongside other people and having instant connections with them. And I have to mention the Buffalo Bills; my son’s football team is now my team, too.

What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d still like to do?
I have multiple books in me, and am starting that journey now. I would love to write a book about perspective, about gratitude, about philosophy, love… going through the process of learning to love where I live—about not consuming it but contributing to it.

I also write poetry and can’t stop reading philosophy books.

I also really want to go on a pilgrimage—either the Magdalena de Kino in Mexico or the Camino de Santiago in Europe.

What’s a fun fact about you?
I love meetings. Truly!

You have to say more about that!
Meetings represent possibility. And I love when people collaborate, converse, decide on an action, and take it.

I think there’s something magical about people getting together and sharing ideas and perspectives. I have only my own and I need other people’s perspectives. When something gets worked through or I get a new insight…that’s the magic of human collaboration and connection.

What might people be surprised to learn about you?
Maybe after reading that I love meetings this won’t be such a surprise but I get notebooks for Christmas—and love that!