A tick bit me in 2003 and I went from a Division 1 athlete to bed-bound in my childhood bedroom, my mother spoon-feeding me soup. My immune system broke and I have spent the last 15 years fighting to go from bed-bound to working as a lawyer in tech.

I manage a complex chronic illness that science doesn’t totally understand, often spending 20 hours a week in treatments. Even with this invisible load, I have worked as a outdoor guide, teacher, and policy director. In each workplace, I’ve learned what employers can do to better support the 20% of the U.S. population that is immunodiverse.

I am a keynote speaker, storyteller, and workshop host who uses my life story to educate and create empathy about other people's experiences, particularly for those with invisible disabilities. I teach on how workplaces can better accommodate the 133 million Americans who are immunodiverse. I’ve spent the last five years storytelling, writing, and speaking. I’m a Moth grandslam winner, with two stories on the podcast, and frequently speak to audiences large and small.

The bottom line: I believe that stories change the world. And, I absolutely believe chestnuts should be collected, boats must be sailed into the sea, and we can and must build a better workplace.