• Grew up eating frozen food from a box.  Somehow developed interest in cooking, and now feels most passionate about eating fresh local ingredients from small farms, where food is produced by people who care for the earth.

• Parlayed journalism degree into award-winning success as public relations exec specializing in food and wine clients, including Land O’Lakes butter, Quaker oatmeal, California Wine Institute, Crisco oil and shortening. Enriched culinary marketing skill and worked with food luminaries like legendary Julia Child, dessert doyenne and part-time Parisian Dorie Greenspan, Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame, Michael Romano of Union Square Café, heathy eating authority Graham Kerr (and the list goes on).

• Wandered around food destinations in France, Italy, Switzerland and Great Britain seeking traditional tastes, new ingredients and fun stories to share.

• Decided to check out the other side of the stove and attended Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Used free time to scout out Napa Valley’s best restaurants and wineries. Learned vegetarian flavor fundamentals from Chef John Ash, culinary director of Fetzer Vineyards. Indulged in the occasional mud bath in Calistoga.

• Opened the Rustic Kitchen cooking school in a circa-1893 home kitchen to put personal recipes to use. Relieved to see demonstration and hands-on classes fill quickly. Also a popular guest instructor around town at Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma and other organizations that believe in great-tasting food.

• Launched corporate team building capability as outgrowth of creativity coaching expertise. Kick off sessions with brainstorming ideas to solve business challenges, then adjourn to the kitchen to let solutions flow while stirring up a big mess and delicious family style meals.

• Create recipes and entertaining tips for clients like Millstone Gourmet Coffee, America’s Dairy Farmers, American Butter Institute, Bush’s beans and Karo Syrup.

• Believe we’re nothing without good ingredients. Volunteer tirelessly on behalf of family farmers. Served on the steering committee for Chicago’s Green City Market, the city’s only farmers market that focuses on sustainability. Spoke at the 2003 annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals about “A Call to Action: Supporting Sustainability One Step at a Time.” Member of Chefs Collaborative, a professional organization that supports local, artisanal and sustainable cuisine.