They say the older you get the more inclined you are towards social service, and so it has been for me. I started out in survival mode, just putting my nose to the grindstone and doing what needed to be done to get by. Now I’m feeling called in so many directions and find I have so much energy and enthusiasm when working towards the greater good. I credit Reiki for much of the shift.

November, 2023: Co-host of the Reiki Rays Global Healing Summit.

April, 2023: After twelve years of orchestrating outreach events on a volunteer basis, Founder/Executive Dir. of the Reiki Brigade, a 501c-3 not-for-profit organization.

March, 2023:  Led the Reiki Brigade to exceed 6,000 reiki sessions offered to the Chicagoland community since 2011.

2020, 21, 22:  Speaker at annual Reiki Rays Global Summit.

September, 2021: Speaker at Integrative Medicine for Underserved Populations Conference: Decolonizing Medicine.

March, 2016:  Rebranded outreach efforts as the “Reiki Brigade,” to continue to introduce the benefits of reiki to underserved populations and established institutions through volunteer outreach events. 

November, 2015:  Voted Leader of the Year by Leads Club networking group. Member since 2007.

September, 2015:  Published Connecting the Dots:  From Ad Exec to Energy Practitioner, a great read for anyone exploring the mind/body/spirit connection.

March, 2015:  Received Humanitarian Award from the American Massage Therapy Association’s IL Chapter for establishing a volunteer Reiki for Veterans program at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.

November, 2014:  Published “Reiki and PTSD:  Easing the Burdens of War” in Massage & Bodywork Magazine, circulation 80,000

July, 2014:  Began teaching Reiki at College of Lake County and Harper College.

March, 2014:  Offered my Intro to Chakras workshop at the annual conference of the American Massage Therapy Association-IL Chapter. See the recap here.

March, 2013:  Received Distinguished Service Award from the American Massage Therapy Association’s IL Chapter for work on Not in Our Name! a campaign to raise awareness among the massage community of sex trafficking under the guise of massage therapy

January, 2013:  Published “Hiding in Plain Sight” in Massage & Bodywork Magazine

February, 2012:  Approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork as Continuing Education Provider

April, 2011:  Co-founded the Midwest Reiki Community, to support practitioners and raise awareness of this phenomenal healing modality

February, 2010:  Reiki Master Teacher Certification

March, 2007:  Certificant National Certification Board Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork as soon as certification moved from the state to the national level

2002-present:  Member Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)

1998-2002:  Member American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)

December, 2000:  Graduate, Chicago School of Massage Therapy

December, 1991:  BA, University of Iowa