I was born and raised right here in Oakland and Berkeley. Since I was young I was always looking for ways to break the rules and shatter any type of structure I could get my hands on. Humor seemed to be the tool of choice for this job. I went to college at San Francisco State University as a theatre major with an emphasis in performance. During my time at SFSU, I started a political theatre troupe on campus and began helping to rally the people in walk-outs to support the arts and stop the budget cuts.

After 9/11 happened, I felt something was missing in my life: my soul. I embarked on a journey to find it. Thought I'd go to the grand canyon and see if I could find it there. I took off and once I crossed the border from San Diego into Arizona, I saw terrain that I had never seen before - rock formations like mountains of bliss. I began to laugh and cry as tears of joy streamed down my face. A song wafted in the background, "I'm a keep on down this road 'till a change comes in me." In that moment, I recognized that I wasn't gonna be coming back for a long time. So I took off into the avenues of the sandy dessert and vowed not to return home until somethin' died in me.

I found myself in many places - living out of tipis with the natives, camping solo for weeks at a time, and caring for the White Buffalo in the high dessert of Arizona. It was here where I met Trusha in 2002. She was stopping by on the way to the grand canyon and I was working at the White Buffalo Ranch - surrounded by nothing but open land of hills, trees, creeks, and streams. Time went by and I ended up down in Mexico involved in a ceremonial dance for the earth with the natives. It was there that I found something I had been looking for for a long time. Also, through these ceremonies in Mexico, I met Ilana, Chandala, Chandi, Dave, and Zat and ended up spending time at the Descanso Gompa in San Diego. These random yet serendipitous meetings paved my eventual path to MahaSiddha Dharma.

Eventually, I returned home and went back to college to finish my degree at SFSU. While back in the Bay Area, I learned that MSD had also moved to this area. Incredibly, the Montclair house is on Estates Drive - the very street I grew up on and about 2 blocks from my childhood home. Likewise, the Berkeley house is about 2 blocks away from my mom's house. I moved into the Berekely Gompa about a year ago and have loved the teachings of Kali Ma. I truly enjoy all the amazing friendships and community here. My work continues with native ceremonies and theatre, while the dharma has been a wonderful compliment in both arenas.

I live alone in the small town of Brisbane, just south of San Francisco. It is built in the bowl of San Bruno Mountain with a large County Park just out my back door. I run in the hills most days and love the outdoors, whether hiking or gardening.

My work has been with government - first as an Assistant City Attorney and then as a City Manager. Now I work as a Special Legal Counsel on environmental projects. Currently I'm working on an endangered species plan and the remediation of a closed landfill. I love working on behalf of my community.

I came to the MahaSiddha path through Trusha, who is my pilates teacher. Through her sharing, I went to a public teaching just over a year ago. At the end of the teaching, a student asked Kali Ma a question about how to know if you have found the "right" spiritual teacher. Kali Ma said that some people spend their whole lives living in the lobby looking in but never daring to actually enter into a deeper relationship with the teacher or the teachings. I knew that I too was that searching person, who had taken up "permanent residency" in the lobby.

During her answer, Kali Ma welcomed the student to come in and study with her. Then Kali Ma laughed--you know that mischievous, mysterious and knowing laugh--and in that instant my heart opened. I had found my teacher.

I treasure each day for Kali Ma and the dharma and I am grateful to the sangha for its generosity.