I was born in Mankato, Minnesota and grew up in a small town called Madison Lake. I went to college at the University of Minnesota and post-graduation I lived in St. Louis Park and worked at Land O’Lakes in Arden Hills. Having spent almost all of my 24 years in Minnesota, I can proudly say I’m Minnesotan to the bone!
Each summer growing up my family would take a road trip to a different state (or multiple states) around the U.S. Some of my favorite places to visit were Maine where I loved picking blueberries and hanging out by the ocean, Alaska where we saw incredible wildlife and explored uncommon territory, and Arizona or Miami to visit my dad's sisters.
In middle school and high school I loved geography and history classes. I especially loved when I could name a state and say “I’ve been there!” There were also moments in these classes where I felt like I was learning about another planet, an unreachable planet. It was during these moments where I wondered, “What are the current and real life experiences of people in places I felt were unreachable? How do people truly live?” These questions, coupled with my friendships with exchange students at my high school from Thailand and Germany helped me identify my desire and dream to work and live internationally.
