I was raised at the beach by a seminal punk-rocker and an altruistic bookworm. I had salty hair, learned how to play music and draw pictures, got bookishly into algebra, and was unknowingly, seriously dyslexic.

I learned how to work hard. But more importantly, how to work smart. Not just smart surface hacks. Sure, those were clutch. I also went deep and I gained a spectrum of perspective-taking skills, problem-solving skills, true resilience, and even old-soul empathy.

Everyday I am grateful for my not-so-straightforward education, because for over two decades, I’ve used and grown this skill set to inspire, support and lead teams, solve business problems, identify purpose and vision, and facilitate transformation.