How It All STARTED

Founder Origin Story

I’m from Akron, but my journey has taken me far beyond it. I’ve lived in three U.S. states and across the Atlantic in Luxembourg, Europe—experiences that shaped my perspective and deepened my understanding of connection across cultures and communities. I’m a lifelong learner with a deep passion for expanding access, creating opportunities, and elevating voices that might otherwise go unheard. I love shoes and books, and I invest in the community that invested in me.

But my life today looks very different from how it began. I overcame a challenging childhood and broke the cycle of poverty and dysfunction. I’ve often been asked: How did I make it when so many others in similar circumstances didn’t? I’ve asked myself that same question, over and over.

I believe we are each born with unique gifts, perfectly suited for the path we are meant to walk. Some of mine revealed themselves early—a sharp mind, a deep curiosity, and the ability to see connections where others saw obstacles. In many ways, these gifts helped me navigate difficult circumstances. But talent alone isn’t enough. To survive, I learned to adapt creatively, making sense of a world that didn’t always make sense to me. Those adaptations served me—until they didn’t.