Even though I was born in small-town Nebraska we didn’t stay there as I grew up in a military family.  My dad was in the Air Force and my mom stayed home to raise my two older sisters, myself and a younger brother.  When we got a bit older, my mom would go on to pursue her passion to be a first-generation college student, eventually going on to earn a PhD in Economics, and becoming a university professor in a small mid-west town.

Our childhood was simple with typically kid games and filled with memories of hanging out at the local swimming pool.  Moving around a lot teaches you to be outgoing to make new friends and adapt to different environments.  I learned from a young age that if I wanted something I would have to work for it, therefore, I entered the “workforce” at 12 and began babysitting for extra money.

As anyone from a military family knows, moving around comes with the territory and we were no exception.  We bounced around quite a bit before finally settling in Salt Lake City for high school.  There, I dedicated myself to my schoolwork and focused on achieving good grades.  In the winter, I worked at a hotel in Snowbird Utah which came with one very special perk, a free ski slope pass. 

After high school, I pursued higher education at the University of Utah, where I earned a degree in Economics, following in my mom’s footsteps. After graduation, I held a couple of jobs before finding my way into the world of financial services as a private banker with Wells Fargo.  More than 30 years later, today, I lead a team that is passionate about helping people navigate the complexity of financial decisions to provide clarity.

Today, I'm happily married to my husband, Troy, and together we are the proud parents of three amazing grown children and six wonderful grandchildren. When I'm not in the office, I stay busy in the great outdoors of North Idaho.  Golf holds the top spot, and I also enjoy biking, hiking, and any activity that involves spending time on the lake.  Being around family and friends is an essential part of our lives.  We truly enjoy hosting and with my passion for cooking, it isn’t hard to convince everyone to gather at our place for a good time.

I was born and raised on a farm in Yankton, South Dakota to parents who have always been around agriculture. My parents have continued to stay close to agriculture within different businesses. A little over 25 years ago, my parents purchased a Global travel company. Their focus is taking groups to see the world and visiting farms and agriculture sights along the way.

While growing up I worked in the family businesses. Whether it was getting my hands dirty farming, working at the grain elevator, or helping during the custom harvesting season. As is for most agricultural jobs there wasn’t much time to pursue hobbies, but I certainly learned to work hard and understand that there is always a way to complete the task at hand.

My college career started at Mankato State University in Minnesota but after two years I moved to Southern California and graduated from California State University at Long Beach.  I earned my bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in Finance.

Having always been intrigued by the economy and the stock market, I worked alongside a team of financial advisors to learn about the business while finishing my college degree. After graduation, I immediately entered the world of financial services, obtaining my first position as a financial advisor. Three decades later, I’m still as passionate about helping people as I was my first day.  I’m proud to be part of the North Idaho Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors where I provide the value of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ by helping in all aspects of a client’s financial wellbeing.

Today I am lucky to have my wife Sarah, an amazing wedding and event planner, and my daughter Isabella, who just graduated from college and is gainfully employed in Spokane. She graduated with a double major in international business and Finance. Sarah’s son is married and has one son who just turned one. I quickly went from having one child to now having a bonus son and daughter-in-law and a grandson.

My passions center around our town around it’s beautiful lake. If it is a sunny warm day, I hope to be boating on Lake Coeur d’ Alene. I dabble in hiking and tennis and each year when the snow starts falling, I tell myself I want to ski just a little bit more than the year before. Having always been a fan of classic cars, I bought a similar car that our family had while growing up.  A 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V, it’s as difficult to parallel park today as it was almost 40 years ago when I took my driver’s test. My favorite passion is watching my daughter mature as a young woman and make her way in the world. Rotary international has been a big part of my life for the last 8 years. I appreciate how our members and our community give back so much to those in need. I am proud to be the current president of the Coeur d’Alene Rotary club.