I'm finally enjoying the journey.
/My time in high school
Attended high school in the
1980s
Overall high school experience
7/10. Compared myself a lot to other kids in my classes and always seemed to come up short. Had a hard time feeling as though I fit in anywhere.
Grades in high school
A's and B's.
Favorite subjects
English, History / Social Studies, Physical Education
Struggled with...
Math. Had such a hard time understanding it.
Favorite extracurricular
Running and choir.
Life since high school
“[ I ] wish that I’d been more emotionally intelligent at an younger age. I’ve spent much of my time since I realized that educating myself and making sure that my children don’t make the same mistakes.”
Attended college / university at
Smith College and UC Irvine for undergrad psychology major.
Post-graduate education or training
University of Michigan School of Public Health for grad school
Places lived in US
California, Massachusetts, Michigan
Current occupations / past occupations
Currently home with kids and volunteering at kids' school. Past occupations were in Health Education for Kaiser and research assistant for psychology and public health researcher
Industries I've worked in
- Educational Services
- Health Care and Social Assistance
Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
Yes, had to have the degree to do the job.
Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
Yes, current volunteer experience has me thinking about becoming an aide at my kids' school or becoming a bookkeeper. I also love genealogy and have considered making that my career.
A little introspection...
To me, being successful means...
Having meaningful relationships with friends and family. Having enough money to live a decent life. Knowing yourself well enough that you can be honest with yourself and others about your strengths and weaknesses.
My definition of success has changed over time.
The college you go to does not determine how your life will go.
My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
Having three children via two pregnancies with serious health complications. Learned that sometimes you just have to keep going forward even if it's not what you originally planned to do. Also, I improved my relationship with my mother by being more compassionate towards her. Best thing you can do for someone else is to treat them with empathy and compassion.
My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
Wish that I'd been more emotionally intelligent at an younger age. I've spent much of my time since I realized that educating myself and making sure that my children don't make the same mistakes.
An unexpected event that significantly changed my life and how it impacted me
Having medically complicated pregnancies and kids with special needs. I completely changed what I thought I wanted to do with my life. I'm so glad I learned to be more compassionate and introspective.
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My favorite spot in or around Palo Alto
The Prolific Oven on Waverly Street. I worked there for a number of years.
