Current Aspirations
As the sister of an autistic brain donor, I intend to pursue a career in autism research as a behavioral neuroscientist, further contributing toward my sister’s gift to the scientific community.
Growing up with my sister was a priceless experience of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and inspired me to dedicate my life to serving the neurodivergent community. As a career martial artist specializing in adaptive training for over 15 years, I hit a wall. I knew I could contribute more, but needed to expand my skills.
As I complete my undergrad in Neuroscience at UT Dallas, I’m looking for opportunities to expand my knowledge in mental & behavioral healthcare, while leveraging my extensive training, supervision and business administration experience.
Science kept my sister alive in today’s age while creating a positive impact on the world. My dream is to join her effort in research and further cement her legacy.
WHAT I AM
MARTIAL ARTIST – I’ve been a Taekwondo Practitioner for 25 years and currently hold a 6th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor title through the American Taekwondo Association.
COLLEGE STUDENT – I graduated with my AS from Dallas Collage in 2020 and am currently enrolled as a Neuroscience Major at University of Texas at Dallas.
CONSTRUCTION WORKER – I grew up in a family of contractors, and helped renovate several properties when I was younger. I have a strong aptitude of general construction, plumbing and electrical work and am able to fix or improve most things myself.
ADVOCATE – I lack the ability to sit on the sidelines when it comes to the problems of the world. While I may not be able to fix everything, I don’t let that discourage me from trying. Recently, I just became a volunteer Voter Registrar Deputy for the Dallas County Elections Department (GO VOTE)!
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHER – I’m definitely an amateur, but this has become a favorite past time. These photos to the left I took on an iPhone X cell phone with a clip-on macro lens.
STARVING ARTIST – As a practice in challenging self-limiting beliefs, I attempted drawing a couple years ago. Growing up with other family members who were more talented than I was, I took that to mean “I can’t draw”. Turns out I can. You probably could too. Grab some paper and go impress yourself!
WHO I AM
People come first. ALWAYS.
I grew up in an entrepreneurial family where setting your personal needs aside for the sake of ‘work’ was the expectation. While I developed a superior work ethic, it was depleting to my mental and emotional reserves over time. As my professional career evolved, I came to the understanding that there is no greater resource on the planet than human creativity and innovation. Stress, burnout, and overwhelm are symptoms of nonaligned values and ineffective systems – never a person’s character. It’s a priority to ensure that my environment and those around me is one that brings out the best in everyone… which is where the magic happens!
I’m an Agent of Change.
Like Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” As a curious person and life-long student, “knowing” is something I continually seek, both within myself, in my relationships, community, work, and society. However (as Angelou succinctly points out), knowing isn’t enough. Taking action is a responsibility I take personally, and will frequently adjust my perspectives, habits and behaviors to be more in alignment with my values. If you enjoy platitudes and maintaining the status quo, count me out.
I’m LOUD!
I am attracted to things that stand out, and this has only become a more visible element of my personality as I’ve gotten older. Aside from sporting a mohawk haircut and XL eyeglasses, I don’t hesitate to contribute my thoughts and ideas wherever they’re invited. I’m not shy when it comes to confrontation, and will always choose having a difficult conversation over silence. As Kurt Cobain said, “I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.”