For years, I worked as a deadline-driven journalist as a staff writer and associate editor at Forbes magazine and for many other magazines and newspapers.

I love journalism. I’m not so fond of overwhelming stress.

More than 20 years ago, I began studying and practicing mindfulness meditation as a way to decompress. I got a lot more in the bargain. Mindfulness improved my focus and productivity. It enhanced my relationships. It also made me kinder and happier. (I became a lot less stressed, too.)

Now, I’m passionate about helping others learn the skills I’ve learned to foster greater resiliency and wellbeing.

I’ve studied with outstanding teachers. Susan Kaiser Greenland, a pioneer in mindful education and founder of Inner Kids, taught me how to teach mindfulness to children and teens as well as hone my curriculum development skills. Diana Winston and Marvin Belzer and my training at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA taught me essential mindfulness facilitation skills. Dr. Jackie Gardner Nix and the University of Toronto trained me in trauma-informed Mindfulness-based Chronic Pain Management. And Unified Mindfulness and the Pathways and Compass teacher training program taught me Shinzen Young’s methodology for teaching mindfulness and coaching individuals one-on-one. I’ve also learned from many other teachers over the years at Spirit Rock, the Skillful Meditation Project, and Jeremy Hunter, a pioneer in mindfulness for executives.

I’ve worked with beautiful people. I’m a Mindful Awareness Practices instructor for UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center and a teacher for eMindful, a leading provider of evidence-based online mindfulness programs for individuals and corporations ranging from Aetna to TMobile to Nike. I also teach mindfulness within corporations and schools and coach individuals one-on-one. I’ve taught mindfulness courses and conducted webinars for organizations such as the City of Hope, Intuit, T Mobile, Northern Trust, Korn Ferry, Milbank, Orrick, the Skirball Cultural Center, the Broad Center, leaders at the University of Virginia, and many others. I’ve also taught students, parents, and teachers at schools throughout California, including Wildwood school, Seven Arrows Elementary, Brawerman Elementary, Emerson Middle School, and Sinai Akiba Academy. I’m a founding member and teacher for the online Inner Kids Collaborative. Additionally, I’m a Unified Mindfulness teacher and have taught three UM’s Pathways programs, training students in the UM methodology, and serve as a teaching assistant for UM’s year-long Compass program. I’ve also co-taught on a seven-day retreat with Shinzen Young. Additionally, I coach individuals, ranging from high-level executives to athletes to those working with issues such as chronic pain or anxiety, on how to develop an ongoing meditation practice and apply essential mindfulness skills in their daily lives.

I continue to write, freelancing for magazines, newspapers, and corporations. And I’ve been a frequent contributor to Mindful Magazine.

A few other odds and ends: I received my master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and my bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the College of William and Mary. I’m a lifelong athlete who holds a training certification from the American Council on Exercise and a Level 1 nutrition certification from Precision Nutrition. I enjoy teaching others about mindful movement, functional fitness, and the management of chronic pain. Hanging out with my family is my favorite pastime. On most days, I love to cook. Mountain biking, playing ping pong, and, of course, meditating make me smile.