My Story

About Me

I hope that my story can help others.

In the years since my daughter Laura’s sudden death from a rare and cancerous brain tumor and my own health crises, I have become passionate about normalizing discussions about grief and loss and sharing my belief in the human capacity to adapt and eventually thrive following significant loss or trauma.

My purpose in working with healthcare, organ donation, and community organizations focuses on helping decrease the awkwardness surrounding death, encouraging authentic conversations about personal challenges, and exploring the concepts of resilience and post-traumatic growth.

I convey a hopeful message: that while life-changing tragedies might be impossible to predict or prevent, it’s the response to these adversities that matters.

With this goal in mind, I have published my memoir Permission to Thrive: My Journey from Grief to Growth..and narrated the audiobook version. I am a certified grief educator, a member of the Southeastern Wisconsin Grief Network, and National Board member of SODA: Student Organ Donation Advocates.

I am grateful for the supportive relationships and community that have developed through my volunteer collaboration with Versiti Organ and Tissue, HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Foundation, and National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW).

My formal education includes an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

My informal education (and the one that has informed and inspired me the most) is talking with grievers, community volunteers, organ donation professionals, recipients, and donor families.

I live with my husband Ron in Milwaukee, and we are the proud parents of Sara, Rachel, and our forever-beloved Laura.

Reach out today and schedule a meeting to discuss how I can help your organization.