How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since January 2022.

How did you find your way here?
My husband, Travis, and I were looking for a new place to worship, and we saw news about Saint Philip’s paying off medical debt for people. We were very moved by that and thought it was an amazing way to share Christ’s love with the community. That inspired us to visit.

Were you already familiar with the Episcopal church?
Not at all, but we enjoyed the service. After that first visit we decided we wanted to invest.

Can you say more about your word “invest?”
I feel that church or faith isn’t something just to be consumed. I think Jesus calls us to give of ourselves to others and our community.

I think it’s important to find a church where not only do we feel we can grow and learn but also where we can give back—whether that’s the church community or the community at large. And finding a church that’s involved in the wider community is what makes me use the word “invest.” We want to put something into the pot that will help the community grow closer to God.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was raised in the Christian tradition. I’m very grateful that faith (and God and Jesus) have always been a part of my life.

What difference has that made in your life?
Growing up learning that God loves me and that it cost Jesus something to love me is powerful. Knowing about that godly sacrifice equipped me with tools to cope with different parts of my life.

During difficult times it makes a difference to lean into the knowledge that I am loved by God. That offers a sense of security and firm foundation.

I sometimes wonder what I would have done without that sense of love and what it offers. And even when I didn’t love myself or feel loved by others, I was able to remember that God does love me.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
I love the style of worship. Everything leads to the Eucharist and Christ’s sacrifice for us and the redemption and reconciliation we have because of what he did. I appreciate that every service always points back to that. I love the phrase, “May this be a memorial of your sacrifice to us.”

I also love that I use all my senses. I stand. I sit. I smell the incense. There’s a whole body experience during worship that moves me.

How are you involved in the parish?
When First Sunday Drives support local nonprofits, Travis and I help distribute the donations. We also helped prepare this year’s Thanksgiving meal.

And in the past six weeks, we’ve started attending Wednesday Mosaic. That’s been wonderful!

The semester’s theme was very focused on the fundamentals of the Episcopal church. It was a really cool learning experience to get a download from Fr Matthew, and also meet lots of new people during dinner. We have family obligations after church so we can rarely stay for forums. Wednesday Mosaic has been a lot of fun to plug into.

What do you do professionally?
I’m a project manager in cancer diagnostics. That means I work with teams of scientists to develop the tests that evaluate tissues for cancer.

We also work on immune therapies. Right now, we’re working on a drug that could help when the first three lines of cancer treatment (surgery, chemo, and radiation) have failed. This drug reworks the body’s own chemistry so it can kill the cancer itself.

What about this job appeals to you?
I owned my own marketing and public relations firm for over a decade. I enjoyed the privilege of being my own boss but at the end of ten years I was exhausted and ready for a change. I wanted to have weekends free again.

This job lets me feel good about helping people; it’s very rewarding to participate in helping people get better.

How do you like to spend your free weekend time?
I love being outside in God’s creation. I love sitting in our backyard to going on a hike to camping. All of it fills me up.

And I love running with our dog, Callie, up A Mountain. She’s a sporting dog so she has lots of energy. We don’t have children so she is very much our fur baby.

What might people be surprised to learn about you?
I know how to break down an animal and can butcher my own meat.

How did you learn that?
I love being connected to my food so, whenever possible, I support local growers and harvest my own meat. If I can do that in a sustainable and ethical way it allows me to be less connected to commercial, factory farming.

I sometimes hunt large game but what I mostly enjoy is upland game hunting with our dog, Callie. She was born and bred to watch for birds. We rarely find any but it’s beautiful to watch her hunt.

And when our hunts are successful, I’m reminded that there is a cost to everything. And those reminders motivate me to try to reduce my impact on the earth.

What’s something you’re proud of?
Lots of things!

I’m proud of my marriage. I think we do our best to love each other well.

I’m proud of training my dog.

I’m proud of having led bible study at my former church for about four years. It was wonderful to facilitate a group of women learning scripture together.

I’m proud that I opened, ran, and sold a successful business.

What’s something you find challenging?
I’m an introvert so putting myself in new settings can make me feel vulnerable. But as scary as it can feel, it’s also definitely always rewarding when I lean outside my comfort zone. The Wednesday Mosaics are a perfect example of that. I’ve really enjoyed meeting new people even though it can feel scary.

What’s something you know now that your younger self didn’t?
It’s ok to make mistakes.

Can you say more about that?
I grew up wanting to do the right thing so I would make my parents proud. They were never not proud of me but I’m the older of two girls and never wanted to break someone’s trust.

I also felt so grateful for my good fortune that I didn’t want to waste any opportunity. That was driven less by a moral duty than a desire to make the right choice. For example, choose the “right” school.

As I grew older I learned that life’s patterns aren’t that linear; they’re much more flexible. And so far my mistakes haven’t been “fall off the cliff-game over” moments. They’ve been opportunities to experience and understand God’s forgiveness. And even more… his grace.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Look for the beauty. There’s so much of it in nature but it’s also in people. Granted, beauty can be easier to find in some people than others but we’re all created in God’s image.

I think the search for beauty is more important than finding it. Seeking it is what helps me be empathetic. It helps me be grateful for people and recognize their value. And that then often helps calm me down so I’m less judgmental or impatient.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
My younger sister. We’re very close, and understand each other. She and her husband and kids moved to Tucson 10 years ago. I’m grateful I get to be near my niece and nephew, too.

What’s one of your super powers?
I’m a good listener.

Have you done something new recently?
I learned how to backpack, and spent three days in Glacier National Park in Montana.

A friend led a group of eight women and we learned (among other things) how much water to bring, how to filter it, how to cook our own meals in the back country, and how to hoist our food in the bear bag.

What’s something you learned about yourself on that trip?
There were some really hard parts during the trip. I was on the side of a hill with the sun beating down on me, and I was exhausted—and miserable. I kept telling myself, “This will end if I keep putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually I will get to camp. Just keep moving.”

My takeaway was that nothing lasts forever, and that I can do hard things!

What’s a fun fact about you?
When I lived in New York City I was on an episode of the Real Housewives of New York.

I don’t think I said a word but, technically, I’m in the episode where the Countess chose the cover for her new book. (I was a publicist for the publisher of her book.)