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I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Boston Latin School, I packed my bags and moved to Indiana where I completed my BS degree in Management and Finance from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. It was at Purdue that I met my husband of nearly 30 years who was finishing his PhD in geology. We then moved to suburban Washington, DC where I worked for USA Today before moving West to Reno/Carson City, Nevada. I earned an MBA from the University of Nevada in 1993. I have more than 20 years of work experience that includes analytical, supervision and management in finance, accounting and purchasing in a variety of mostly manufacturing settings. Our two wonderful sons were also born in Nevada! We enjoyed family skiing, golfing and hiking in the Sierra Nevada, before moving to the Houston area in 2011 when my husband embarked on a new career.
My journey that led me to TMS began with my younger son, who always had a variety of poorly understood health concerns, including being diagnosed with numerous food/environmental/pet allergies and very elevated IgE as a toddler; eosinophilic esophagitis at 8 years old; then anaphylaxis, elevated tryptase, mast cell activation, gastroparesis at 10 years old; and more recently with hereditary alpha tryptasemia and neurocardiogenic presyncope (dysautonomia). His Texas Children’s Hospital allergist recommended www.tmsforacure.org in 2015 and I became a caregiver-member shortly thereafter. We are also part of a research study at the NIH and he sees Dr. Mariana Castells at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I feel very fortunate to have so many wonderful medical professionals’ help getting his symptoms better controlled.
I have always enjoyed volunteering – from Brigham and Women’s Hospital volunteer in the 1980’s to current-day school volunteer. Now, it is with great privilege that I serve with the TMS team of volunteers to give back to the mast cell community!
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