I grew up in Greensboro, NC, where athletic and academic excellence became a personal standard from a young age. Though I tried my hand at soccer, swimming, gymnastics, cross country, and basketball, soccer was my favorite. I played club competitively and got to travel the country building skills I have used throughout my life.

Philanthropy has always been a fundamental part of my life. Even at a young age I volunteered regularly with Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Urban Ministries, and Junior Guild. This core value of service was implanted in me by my dad, who I unfortunately lost to cancer at 14 years old. This experience completely altered my life in countless ways but it is what I credit my unwavering commitment to becoming my best self and partaking in exciting and fulfilling work.

My love for travel began in high school after applying for a scholarship for a summer study abroad program in South Africa, focused on education as a human right. The next summer I found another scholarship program focused on sports development in Peru. Travel has continued to be one of the most influential educators in my life.

I graduated high school with the International Baccalaureate diploma, a rigorous two-year pre-university curriculum focused on high academic standards, critical thinking, and holistic development, third in my class out of over 400 students.

I received a full scholarship as a Centennial Scholar to the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University, where I became Editorial Director of the school's fashion and culture magazine, a devoted member of Delta Gamma Sorority (recipient of the Eva Webb Dodd Award, given to the woman who best exemplifies loyalty), and studied abroad in Florence, Italy before graduating a year early with a Bachelor of Science in Brand Management and Marketing (Fashion & Textiles focus), receiving the Donald F. McCullough Award for outstanding promise in leadership in marketing.

During my final year, I was named a Fashion Scholarship Fund x Skims Scholar for my marketing case study on using emerging digital technologies to build brand loyalty.

After graduating, I accomplished my lifelong dream of moving to New York City. I started as an Assistant Account Executive working on influencer campaigns for brands like Gatorade and Uniqlo at Noun Agency, before being offered a role at WWD, a publication I had been reading to study the fashion industry for years.

After nearly two years at WWD managing millions of dollars in media campaigns across luxury, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands, I felt ready for a new type of growth and challenge.

So I left my beloved NYC and took nothing but a backpack and a one-way ticket to Thailand. I spent four months solo backpacking through eight countries in Southeast Asia, expanding my global perspective and sharpening my problem-solving and adaptability.

After ending up as a marketing volunteer at a very White Lotus-coded wellness resort in Sri Lanka, surrounded by successful founders and entrepreneurs from around the world, I knew it was time to go home and keep building.