Where do you work?
[I was] recently laid off from position as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Racial Equity Officer at the Chicago Department of Public Health. [I am] currently focusing on personal consulting firm and other projects.

How long have you been involved with Women Unite!?
I am a new Board Member as of February 2026.

What do you like most about Women Unite!?
What I enjoy most is the mix of direct action and genuine community. What drew me in was the organization’s commitment to women supporting women in a way that is practical, values-led, and rooted in community power. It genuinely feels like women showing up for other women in a real, practical way. Not just talk about empowerment, it’s actual support that helps people and organizations grow, get seen, and keep moving toward their goals. What drew me in was that community vibe, the emphasis on care and collaboration, and the sense that WU! is about helping women’s dreams have room to breathe, scale, and turn into upward mobility for themselves and the communities they serve.

What’s an issue you care deeply about?
I care deeply about inequality, especially racial inequality, but truly all forms of inequality that limit people’s ability to live safe, healthy, dignified lives. What weighs on me most is the unfairness of a nation with more than enough resources still allowing millions of people to go without the basics. I have seen how these gaps show up in real life, in who has access to opportunity, who gets listened to, and who is expected to navigate systems that were never designed to work for them. My career across both the private and public sectors has only sharpened that perspective, because I’ve seen how decisions about budgets, policy, and operations can either reinforce harm or create real pathways to stability. I’m especially motivated by work that shifts resources and power toward communities that have been historically excluded and then measures whether conditions actually improve. At the end of the day, I want to live in a society where equity is not a slogan but a practice, and where everyone has enough to thrive, not just survive.

What’s a hobby you have?
Music, hands down. As a guitarist and musician, I love being part of Chicago’s music scene and playing with other talented musicians. There’s something special about the community that forms when you’re rehearsing, writing, and performing together, and I genuinely love the feeling of entertaining an audience and creating a moment people can feel. Music is also one of my favorite ways to express myself, it brings me joy, passion, and a sense of freedom that’s hard to find anywhere else.

What gives you hope?
Seeing people show up for each other in small and consistent ways. That kind of everyday care reminds me that community is not just a nice idea, it’s a real force that can carry people through hard seasons. I find hope in collectivism, in the way people choose to share resources, wisdom, and labor for the collective good, even when they’re tired or stretched thin themselves. It’s powerful to watch folks organize, collaborate, and keep building solutions together instead of retreating into survival mode alone. When times are tough, the fact that people still choose each other, still choose solidarity, is proof to me that something better is always possible.

What are 2–3 ways you’ve been getting through the fall of late-stage capitalism?
Of course, playing and making music has been huge for me, falling into the creativity of writing and producing songs helps me feel alive and reminds me that I can still make something beautiful in a world that often feels heavy. Cooking from scratch has been a big one too. It’s practical, creative, and it reminds me that nourishment is a form of care. I’m also a fantastic home chef, and I genuinely love feeding other people. It’s one of the most grounding and joyful ways I know how to show love. I’m also a lifelong gamer, so video games have been a helpful escape too. Sometimes, I just need to disappear into another world for a bit and let my brain rest. And finally, I’m an avid reader. I love the immersion of a good story and how it can slow everything down and bring me back to myself.

Fun/random fact you want to share?
I’m the second oldest of 10 children, have traveled to 20 countries (and counting!), and have an uncanny ability to look at a cart full of groceries and guess, within about $10, what the final cost of that cart will be (grocery shopping is my favorite errand lol).

What’s one of your favorite local businesses?
The Chicago Music Exchange is one of my favorites for sure. A musician’s playground, gorgeous space, and some of the friendliest people.