My writing life began in high school working on the newspaper and annual staffs. I also used journaling as a way to make sense of my world. From that, it seemed like a logical transition to major in Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin in 1982. Later in life I went back to school to expand my writing skills and earned a Masters in Communication from The University of Texas at Arlington, 2011. I still journal and now at The Writing Depot I freelance on non-fiction stories about my life experiences kayaking, hiking, gardening, and quilting.
Professionally, I serve as a Grant Writer at The University of North Texas Health Science Center raising philanthropic support from private foundations. Since 2014, I have written more than 150 proposals totaling more than $11 million and have received funding of more than $5.6 million. That’s a funding rate of 50%. I am also a founder (2015) and current President of the North Texas Chapter of Grant Professionals Association (2018-2019).
Today, I'm working on a book about the Trinity River. I'm exploring its multiple sources and how it flows through the cities of Fort Worth, Dallas, and alongside Houston to the Gulf. "Downstream: The Trinity River" will explore each city's unique relationship with the river which includes the environment, the economy and recreation.