"In every project, I look for that moment when something beautiful reveals itself. That's when I know we've created something truly transformational."
The moment that changed me
The first time I witnessed transformation in real time, I was standing at 14,000 feet, watching the eyes of a teenager well up with tears - because she did something she never thought she could do - she made it to the top of the mountain.
That was 1982. I was guiding backpacking trips in Colorado for kids who had never seen a tree outside the city. We'd climb 14ers, rappel off 100-foot cliffs, build saunas out of pine boughs and hot rocks, then plunge into icy mountain streams - finishing the day under a dark sky filled with a dazzling display of light.
They arrived uncertain and apprehensive.
They left with a confidence and strength they didn't know they had.
Those moments - the silent breakthroughs, the newfound courage, the spark when someone realizes - "I can do more than I thought I could" - that's what pulled me to this work.
The transformation... and the privilege of guiding others through it.
And that's what's kept me in this work ever since.
The Winding Road That Shaped Me
After graduate school, I spent 12 years in nonprofits - ministry, child abuse prevention, HIV/AIDS education, and helping organizations create safer, more welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth.
It was powerful and transformational - the kind of work that changed organizations, communities - and me.
From there, I stepped into a very different role as a Senior Business Analyst. Over the next 12 years, I had the privilege of leading CRM implementations for incredible organizations like Habitat for Humanity International, Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Audubon Society.
Then the terrain shifted again as new dreams emerged.
I opened Southern California's first eco-friendly kitchen and bath showroom. But when retail wasn't the right path, I moved into the world of personal development - coaching CEOs, Olympic athletes, and high performers through their own crossroads and reinventions.
In 2020, I returned to the nonprofit world to co-author The Transformational Giving Playbook™, which deepened my work with nonprofit leaders around storytelling, leadership and meaningful change.
The common thread remained the same…
My greatest joy comes when I'm walking beside others as they move through transformation.
The Realization That Shifted Everything
After years of working in and with nonprofit organizations, I've seen the same challenges over and over — talented, passionate teams stretched too thin, drowning in manual processes, struggling to do more with less, while missions are held back by limitations that have felt immovable.
Then AI arrived - and with it, a moment unlike anything I've ever seen.
Not because of the technology itself, but because of what it makes possible...
A chance for nonprofits to experience a level of transformation they've never been given the capacity to imagine.
- The ability to remove long-standing constraints.
- The ability to reclaim time, clarity, and energy.
- The ability to completely reimagine how missions are fulfilled.
Suddenly, what once seemed impossible has become possible.
That's when I realized...
My entire life's work has been about guiding people through transformation. Guiding nonprofits through this moment of transformation, is the next, most expansive expression of that work.
The birth of Heartcraft
I founded Heartcraft to give nonprofits a new way forward - together.
Because transformation was never meant to be a solo climb.
That's why, at its core, Heartcraft is about community - built on the belief that the future of nonprofit impact will be shaped by leaders who choose to rise together, combining skills, knowledge, and resources to create something none of us could achieve alone.
Heartcraft is equally grounded in a commitment to help nonprofits use AI as a force that frees teams to focus on what matters most, and to boldly reimagine how missions can scale for even greater impact.
Heartcraft is here to guide you through a transformation that will change you, change the way you work, and strengthen your capacity to fulfill your mission.
If you're ready for your next step, here are two ways to begin.
The Values That Guide Us
The name Heartcraft is a reminder that the best work is both guided by the heart and grounded in craftsmanship. These are the values that guide us...
Compassion
We start by seeing.
Seeing the person, the story, the struggle, the spark.
We meet people with care, patience, and presence.
We believe the best ideas grow in spaces where people feel safe to be real.
Curiosity
We ask questions that open to possibility.
We explore ideas without rushing toward the obvious.
We tug on threads others might miss -
because answers often arrive sideways,
in the unexpected spaces where we weren't yet looking.
Creativity
We make space for our imaginations to play, wander, and roam.
To open ourselves to possibilities beyond our conscious awareness.
We believe ideas are an intimate intersection with the Infinite -
and that the best ideas are often the ones that wake us in the middle of the night.
Craftsmanship
We create from the heart.
Thoughtfully, intuitively, intentionally.
We delight in every detail... Refining until it feels exactly right.
Because we believe beautiful work moves the soul... You know it the moment you feel it.
This is how we work.
This is who we are.
This is Heartcraft
