I've always had a deep reverence for animals and the natural world.

As a child, I spent hours playing with salamanders in streams, rescued injured wildlife that found their way into my yard, and found solace in the company of my pets. That love shaped everything that followed.

It led to a master's degree in wildlife conservation and a 20+ year career raising over $200 million for nonprofits.

I've worked with Dr. Jane Goodall, been featured on the front page of The New York Times, and served as Vice President of Chimp Haven—the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world.

But what captivated me most was understanding the hearts and minds of animal donors. Their giving is deeply personal, rooted in compassion—and I've spent years helping organizations align their strategies with this psychology to deepen relationships and grow revenue.

Throughout my fundraising career, I mentored countless nonprofit executives, and I began noticing a pattern: these brilliant, mission-driven leaders were quietly drowning. The pressure to constantly succeed and always be "on" for others was taking a profound toll on their well-being.

I recognized that exhaustion because I'd lived it too—and I realized that helping organizations raise millions meant nothing if their team members burned out in the process. That's when I knew I had to do something.