Home: Brooklyn, NY. Age: 37. Profession: Working towards eradicating modern slavery. Organization: The Freedom Fund. Title: Managing Director, External Relations. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. Alma mater: University of California, Santa Barbara.
Recent recognition: We were thrilled that the Harvard Business School published a case study about the Freedom Fund, detailing both our own growth and our process of taking a MacKenzie Scott gift. Latest accomplishment: Earlier this year, Hilary Clinton helped us announce a new major commitment of $10 million by 2030 to our Survivor Leadership Fund, dedicated to providing trust-based grants to organizations led by survivors of modern slavery in the Global South. Hobbies: Every morning I make ceremonial cacao, pull tarot and spend time in meditation before starting my day. Recent travel or adventure: Nepal, including time in Kathmandu and in the southeast area of Terai. We visited some of the organizations we fund and people legally liberated from bonded agricultural labor earlier this year. Last book read: The Word for World is Forest, by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Personality profile: INFJ; creative, silly, heart forward; an active listener. Moral compass: If I were on my deathbed, would I be at peace with this? How do you define a perfect friendship? Lots of laughter at ourselves or at life; the ability to go to the depths of emotion; a shared love of music and food; a base of intentionality, respect and trust. What is your greatest joy? The freedom of experiencing joy. What is your greatest fear? Not living my truth. What natural talent have you neglected? Stage managing. Sometimes I get the honor of helping actor friends by stage managing their shows; it’s a great joy for me and I do it well. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Either on colorful Adidas sneakers or on incense and morning ritual items from Shaman’s Market. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? A body of water, ideally an ocean.
What was your first paying job? Working for a small-town jewelry store. What book have you repeatedly read? Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. What movie have you repeatedly watched? Atomic Blonde. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My grandfather. He fought for me and gave me access to the support I needed after a lot of difficulty in life. What is your favorite app? Spotify. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Seeing a jazz show.
What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Going to jail. I was incarcerated for a month when I was 20 after a long history of abuse, trafficking and drug addiction. A life changing and defining moment that helped shift my course after seeing other incarcerated women with the same stories of abuse, oppression and addiction.
What is your big idea?
Combatting abuse, oppression and slavery directly in regions around the globe where it is most highly concentrated, by supporting frontline organizations in those regions with unrestricted funds and ideas, especially, survivor led organizations.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Getting more survivor leaders into stable, paid positions where they can be most effective in advancing the anti-slavery and anti-trafficking movements. What mega-trend most excites you? Questioning of supply chains. People are now talking and caring more about where their goods and services are coming from and wanting to support the most ethical providers. What mega-trend most concerns you? The loss of healthy discourse and dialogue on issues we disagree on.
Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Nefertiti. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A marine biologist. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My current and previous journals. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? By a beautiful beach, with incredible food and live music in the company of as many of my loved ones as possible. What advice would you give your younger self? Love exists. Also, breathe!
Personal mission: To change the systems of oppression and abuse that permeate the world around us. So long as they exist, too many people will not have the very basic freedoms we too often take for granted. Personal motto: Be grateful. Favorite quote: “I am God, says Love, for Love is God and God is Love, and this Soul is God by the condition of Love” (Marguerite Porete).
