I come from a family of makers, so creativity has always felt like home. Growing up with Hawaiʻi roots, I was surrounded by the kind of creativity that comes from family, culture, and making something out of what you have. My mom taught me to fold paper cranes and make ribbon lei. My Nana made curtains and refurbished furniture, and our family even sold jewelry in the Philippines. My dad once helped me turn tile scraps into an award-winning Christmas ornament, “Santa’s Workshop.” Looking back, I realize they were all teaching me how to create long before I called myself a designer.

My career took me from hospitality and staffing to 10 years in advertising HR, where I developed a love for people, culture, and the stories behind great work. Now, as a designer in the Bay Area, I bring that people-first perspective into my creative work, with aloha woven into everything I do.

I’m also a retired hula dancer, mom, and self-proclaimed collector of creative side quests. Give me a greeting card to letter, a party to plan, a vision board to build, or a Halloween costume to overthink, and I’m happy. I like things beautiful, interesting, and a little unexpected.

After becoming a mom, I left my 9-to-5 to pursue the creative path I’d always dreamed about, with a very supportive husband cheering me on. Now I get to make things that bring people joy, tell stories, and hopefully make the world a little more interesting.