I am the daughter of an amazing set of parents, and have a great brother and the most wonderful husband.  I was only the 2nd female graduate with a degree in Finance & Insurance from the Walton College of Business.  I was the first Trust officer in the State of Arkansas to handle retirement plan administration and design for a bank.  While I have met a lot of obstacles, I know there were many before me that paved the way that I could be this kind of woman and have a great career.  

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I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at age 42, with no history in our family.  Thankfully my physician had me get mammograms starting at age 40 (that was not the guidance at that time so it was paid for out of pocket).  I discovered my "voice" in advocating for breast cancer research and the importance of mammograms.  I was lucky enough to speak on Capitol Hill a few times when the access to medical imaging was being cut.  

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I was chosen as one of the two representatives for Arkansas to be a delegate for Vision 2020 by Drexel University.  This amazing group was started in 2010 and wanted to have more equality for women and all by the year 2020.  We made some great strides forward in equality.  We were to have a project that helped advance equality and we worked with 8th grade girls and boys to expose them to the careers available to them and the fields available .  I also did a Girls Who Code club for a few years. 

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I am also a survivor of severe septic shock and had 6 months in rehab to learn to walk again.  So I value the outdoors, and don't take health or life lightly. 

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Recently (2025) I had a heart attack (3 stents) and then a mitral valve replacement done robotically in Waco, Texas.  Success, but have to say my body took a bit longer than my heart to recover. 

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I have come to realize the importance of  good health, and also that we don't get to "plan" our life as much as we think we do.