My Story

There’s something special about growing up in Northeast Texas—a blend of small-town charm, classic Southern culture, and more adventures than you’d think possible in one childhood. My early years were a mashup of Tex-Mex feasts, home-cooked meals, and the wild outdoors, where every day felt like a new escapade waiting to happen.

I had my moment of Texas beauty pageant princess fame as a baby, thanks to my mom’s love for dressing me up, whether it was for pageants or some crazy Halloween costumes. When I wasn’t all dolled up, you’d find me racing through pastures on a 3-wheeler or a go-kart with flip flops on, or skipping rocks at the pond. Summers were filled with flights to see the grandparents, fishing trips, sunbathing, and soaking up the sound of classic rock.

Add the typical ballet and dance classes with catching crawdads, hunting nightcrawler worms, and even grabbing the occasional frog or snake, and I was a fully well-rounded blend of tomboy and girlie girl.

Home was a yellow-and-brown mobile home we lovingly called The Big Banana, and the front yard doubled as my personal lasso practice arena. Riding horses with my mom and friends was just part of life, along with taking care of our own little farm crew - goats, chickens, dogs, cats, bunnies, and birds. Home was it's own form of freedom, and I'm grateful for this.

Looking back, my Northeast Texas roots gave me a love for nature, adventure, and a little bit of mischief - all wrapped up in the best kind of childhood. And while life’s taken me in new directions, those memories are always close by.

They say that Warren G exemplifies the value of hard work, the importance of authenticity, and the power of collaboration... well, I didn't quite know that when I was listening to my first cassette tape on my sport Walkman while swinging in my backyard and I for sure didn’t know how to express that to my Dad when he busted me. The look I must have given him when he asked me what I was listening to… said it all. Luckily, he was just cool enough to let me have my fun and told me that someday I would understand those words, for better or worse.

In my youth, I was known for my mix tapes, which turned into mix CDs with funny titles scribbled in sharpies (oh the good ol’ days) that I gave out to friends as gifts and collected stacks on stacks at home. 

You can catch Regulators on repeat in my car to this day and me rapping every word - I am not ashamed to admit it or to turn it up when you get in the passenger seat.

My continued love of music of all types stems from my long car rides with my parents, countless hours of eclectic MTV and VH1 music videos, and endless radio tunes playing on my boombox. The tone of my life is set to music and it’s a daily tool to focus, release stress, or bust a move for a good workout while cleaning and organizing. The beat plays on and provides a soundtrack to my life – there is no music I won’t try, which really is what life is all about - experiences, right? To this day I still have many as keepsakes that find themselves on a road trip here and there. 

For some current day entertainment, you can sleuth my Spotify for throw backs, random mixes, and mood boosting jams with the same flare and effort I put into them in HS.

The better part of these 4 years were spent on the pitching mound and at SU’s Alber’s Business School classrooms – by better I mean, the responsible ones and the ones that were supposed to prepare me for life and pay my way.
 

Being a student athlete was my identity in college – I was on scholarship, and I earned my high GPA marks and accolades for all the hours put into my crafts. I also put many hours into working a job or two and my extracurricular activities, as one may call them. Those four years of freedom gave me an independence and a sense of self – I formed my own opinions and judgements.
 

I made the right decision deciding to stay closer to home (3 hour drive from my family), vs moving to CO, PA, or one of many alternates on my list of opportunities. Looking back, those four years were a blur and luckily I did come out with a BA degree, many life lessons, and a few amazing friendships that still bless me today. I was lucky to be awarded many titles during my time on the mound – most notably the GNAC Pitcher of the Year and Seattle University’s 101 Club Bill Fenton Student Athlete of the Year, both in 2024 to top off my pitching career. I proudly display these in my office today and they remind me that hard work and dedication will pay off in the end.

After a brief stint in personal banking, what began as a college job turned full-time with aspirations of working in securities, I took a leap of faith into the world of chemicals. When I reflect on that moment, I often think about how my education and early fascination with science eventually transitioned into a focus on business, and how I now find myself working within the chemical industry day to day as a blend of both worlds.

“It’s all about who you know, not what you know” is something I heard often early in my career, and in 2005 I found myself living it. I picked up the phone and called a friend I had helped the year before, leaning into the belief that relationships matter. Many people who know me know this story, and many of you know her as well.

What you may not know is the challenge that followed. The interview process was extensive and intimidating. It included four in-person interviews, verbal quizzes and on-the-spot challenges, a math test, and a particularly stressful conversation with the owner, who openly shared that he was weighing his decision between me and another candidate he personally knew and connected with through rugby. I walked out of that fourth and final interview fully convinced I had not gotten the job. What stayed with me, though, was the feeling that I had just been part of a milestone test to see who would perform and last longer, me or the other guy.

In the end, they hired us both and split our roles. I would assist Operations, and he would move into Sales.

A new path and a new life began on March 5, 2005. Starting as an Operations Assistant meant learning the business from the inside out, how the sausage is made, if you will. That role laid the foundation for everything that followed. It allowed me to understand cradle-to-grave processes, experience challenges and change firsthand, and sharpen my attention to detail, accountability, and customer service in a very real way.

After living and working out of our PNW HQ, I moved back to Vancouver, WA, to support my husband’s desire to work within my parents’ HVAC business. Ten years flew by, and eventually, we felt the pull for something new. We gathered our things and made our way to Reno, Nevada.

That move created space. My husband was able to pursue his passions in the mountains, and I found time to slow down, reflect, and gain greater clarity around myself and my goals. That chapter led me toward a deeper focus on operational improvement, business development, crafting identity, and ensuring quality from the top down across our organization.

Today, I operate out of our contract manufacturing and warehousing division near Chicago, IL. This next chapter came with meaningful sacrifice, including moving across the country with just a month’s notice, following my promotion to Vice President of Brand and Quality Assurance at Catalynt Solutions.

My goals are clear. I am focused on process improvement, quality and safety, and building the Catalynt brand through manufacturing and packaging business development. I am weathering my first Midwest winter with perspective, and looking ahead to the growth, opportunity, and sunny days still to come.