Love People. Keep Going. and our mission grew out of experiences that changed my life, and being part of its leadership team as Board President allows me to turn those experiences into something that can help others. As the owner of Wild & Precious, a community-centered boutique and café dedicated to building connection, spreading joy, and giving back, I have had the opportunity to grow my experience in leadership, strategic planning, community partnerships, marketing, event planning, and creating meaningful experiences that bring people together. Before becoming an entrepreneur, I worked in higher education as a college advisor after earning my bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and my master's degree in Counseling and Higher Education from Kansas State University. Each of these experiences has shaped the way I lead—with a focus on serving others, building genuine connections, and finding ways to turn ideas into meaningful impact.

Love People. Keep Going. was born from my own experiences with recurrent pregnancy loss and from walking alongside family and friends through grief, infertility, and other difficult seasons. Those experiences showed me just how much a simple act of love can mean to someone carrying a heavy burden. They inspired me to create a community where people don't have to walk through hardship alone. The words Love People. Keep Going. have personally carried me through both some of my hardest days and some of my happiest moments, and I hope they can become a source of strength and encouragement for others as well.

I believe every person deserves to feel seen, loved, and supported—especially during life's hardest moments. My hope is that Love People. Keep Going. becomes a place where people know they belong, where grief can be acknowledged instead of hidden, where angel babies and loved ones are honored and remembered, and where tangible acts of love remind people that they are never alone. I want us to continue finding meaningful ways to reach people in our community through connection, remembrance, education, outreach, and simple acts of kindness. Above all, I hope our community continues to choose compassion, connection, and hope for one another.

I am especially passionate about community outreach, honoring angel babies and loved ones, remembrance initiatives, events, marketing and storytelling, strategic planning, and creating meaningful connections. I love bringing ideas to life and helping others see what is possible when we remain grounded in a mission to do good and put serving others at the forefront. I believe that when we lead with love, even small acts can create a ripple effect that reaches farther than we may ever see.

Outside of Love People. Keep Going. and Wild & Precious, I am a proud wife and mom to four children earthside and four babies in heaven. I find joy in the simple things—fresh flowers, a crisp Diet Coke, walks to local small businesses with my family, and time spent with the people I love. My faith guides me, and I believe there is always beauty to be found, even on the hard days. My greatest hope is that every person who encounters Love People. Keep Going. leaves feeling seen, loved, and empowered to keep going—and understands the incredible impact that choosing love can have in their own life and in the lives of those around them.

Serving on the Board of Directors for Love People. Keep Going. gives me an opportunity to bring together my passion for service, my experience as an advocate, coach, facilitator, and mentor, and my desire to help create meaningful spaces for others. While my primary role is raising our three children, I am also the founder and lead consultant of Great Coast Leadership, LLC. I have spent most of my career serving as an advocate, coach, facilitator, and mentor. Having a lens and heart for service is a value for me beyond my career but how I see my place in the world.  I hold degrees in Spanish and Professional & Organizational Communication from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, a Master’s of Education from Marquette University, and am a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach.

My connection to Love People. Keep Going. comes from my belief that life is made up of so many different seasons, and that those seasons are best experienced with others by our side. We may not always understand why certain people come into our lives when they do, but having a support system when we need it most is something to be truly grateful for. Sometimes we may not even recognize that we need a community until its presence becomes imperative to moving forward. I believe LPKG can be that community for people when difficult seasons come unexpectedly or when they are best supported by others who understand. I am honored to be part of an organization that provides comfort, connection, and support to people when they need it most.

I am passionate about helping LPKG continue to be a beacon of hope and a source of support and solidarity when the road feels long during life’s hardest seasons. I have facilitated many events, retreats, and spaces where people can exchange ideas, offer reflections, and explore new perspectives, and I look forward to bringing that experience to the organization. I often say that I enjoy partnering with dreamers. I am a detail-oriented and organized person who enjoys creating and executing systems, and I love helping turn big ideas and dreams into something real. I look forward to partnering with others who have big ideas for LPKG and helping bring those ideas to life in meaningful ways.

Outside of my work with Great Coast Leadership and my involvement with Love People. Keep Going., I love being part of our school community, volunteering both inside and outside of the classroom, and being an active member of our Parent Teacher Organization. I also love gardening and spending time outside, especially walking to the beach and playing with my family. My husband and I have three wonderful children, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of an organization that brings people together, creates connection, and reminds others that they do not have to walk through life’s hardest seasons alone.

Being a part of Love People. Keep Going. as a Board Member allows me to combine both my professional experience and my personal passion for supporting others. As the Director at Christian Servants Home Care, I have built my career around leadership, organization, and compassionate care. I value clear communication, attention to detail, and building meaningful relationships, and I am grateful to use those strengths to help further the mission of this organization.

My desire to become involved with Love People. Keep Going. comes from both my heart for serving others and my own journey through loss. As a bereaved mother, I carry the memory of my angels, Lennan and Dilan, with me every day. Through Momma of Angels, I found hope, healing, and a community of women who reminded me that I didn't have to walk my grief alone. The love, compassion, and friendships I found during that season have made a lasting impact on my life, and I am passionate about helping create that same sense of hope and belonging for others facing similar circumstances.

I am especially passionate about peer support, community events, and strategic planning. I believe that bringing people together through meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and acts of compassion can make a profound difference in someone's healing journey. My hope is that Love People. Keep Going. continues to grow as a place where individuals and families find connection, encouragement, and support during life's hardest seasons, while also inspiring our community to lead with kindness and compassion.

Outside of my board service, my greatest joy is spending time with my husband, Josh, and our daughter, Sutton. We love exploring new places, spending time outdoors, and making memories together. Honoring the lives of Lennan and Dilan has become an important part of who I am, and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to support other families, give back to my community, and help ensure that no one has to navigate grief alone.

Serving on the Board of Directors for Love People. Keep Going. gives me an opportunity to combine my professional experience in healthcare with my personal passion for supporting others through life's hardest moments. As an Optometrist with Aurora Health Care, I have learned the importance of being a good listener and taking the time to understand each person's unique story. I believe there is so much we can learn simply by listening, and that empathy and genuine connection can make a meaningful difference in someone's life. My previous experience volunteering and fundraising with A Little Something a Lot of Love also introduced me to nonprofit work and connected me with many of the women who would eventually become part of Love People. Keep Going.

My connection to this organization is deeply personal. I benefited greatly from the support and connection I found through Momma's of Angels while processing the loss of my two pregnancies. Through that experience, I met so many incredible women and became connected with other organizations working toward similar goals. Having experienced loss myself, I understand how important it is to have people who listen, understand, and remind you that you are not alone. Even when our experiences are different, I believe we can find common ground in our grief, our hope, and our desire to support one another.

I am incredibly passionate about Love People. Keep Going.'s mission to support people through life's hardest moments because everyone grieves, heals, and processes difficult experiences differently. I believe it is important that we continue to look for meaningful ways to meet people where they are—whether that's through a support group, a speaker or educational event, a community gathering, additional resources, or even something as simple as a note reminding someone that they are not alone. I am especially passionate about events, finance, and community outreach, and I hope to help the organization grow its reach, develop additional support groups for different types of loss, connect people with valuable resources, and support other nonprofits doing meaningful work in our community.

Outside of work and my involvement with Love People. Keep Going., I enjoy spending time with my husband, our two boys, and our golden retriever. We are an active family and love playing sports, traveling, and making memories together. When I have time for myself, I enjoy reading, going for a run, and spending time with friends and extended family. I am grateful for the opportunity to use both my personal experiences and professional strengths to help create a community where people feel heard, supported, and reminded that they don't have to walk through life's difficult seasons alone.

My passion for Love People. Keep Going. was born from experiencing one of life's greatest losses—the death of our daughter, Madelyn. Walking through grief showed me how deeply a simple act of kindness, a listening ear, or someone willing to simply sit beside you can change the course of a difficult day. It also revealed the gaps that exist for individuals and families navigating life's hardest seasons.

As a wife, mom, and longtime member of this community, I have always believed that people were never meant to carry life's burdens alone. Through my personal experiences, along with years of serving others in nonprofit, retail, and community-focused roles, I have seen the incredible impact that compassion and genuine connection can have on healing.

My desire to be there for other loss moms began soon after we lost Madelyn. I started by making and donating tie blankets to NICU families who were beginning a journey I knew all too well. Over the years, that desire to help has taken many forms, including writing my book, I Carried Your Wings, and finding ways to offer comfort, encouragement, and connection to other grieving families. I have always felt a strong calling to do whatever I can to help ensure that another mom or family doesn't feel alone as they navigate this new and unexpected journey. That desire eventually led me to become involved with our Momma's of Angels peer-led support group, where I now serve as a mentor. Being able to walk alongside other moms, listen to their stories, and remind them that they don't have to navigate grief alone has become one of the most meaningful parts of my journey.

Love People. Keep Going. is a natural extension of that passion. I want to help create a community where no one has to face grief, loss, or life's other difficult seasons in isolation. While supporting families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss will always hold a special place in my heart, I hope we can reach people facing all kinds of hardship and remind them that they are seen, supported, and remembered. Through peer support, remembrance, community partnerships, educational resources, and simple acts of love and kindness, I hope we can create the kind of community I needed—and found pieces of—when my own journey began.

My hope is that as the Executive Director of Love People. Keep Going., I can help it become more than an organization. I hope it becomes a reminder that compassion has the power to change lives, that healing happens in community, and that every person deserves to know they are loved, valued, and never alone.