Born in Osaka, Japan, I spent the formative years of my life in that country with my three older siblings and parents. My parents were working there as part of a humanitarian effort to help re-build the country after World War II.

Then, after nearly twenty years of service in Japan, my parents moved back permanently to the United States. As a result, I finished up my years of grammar school and high school the Unite States. Interests and pursuits in those years included tennis, track and cross country, academics, and student government.

I gained admission to attend Davidson College in North Carolina, but delayed matriculating for one year, as I had won a scholarship from the English-speaking Union, an international organization dedicated to academic exchanges between institutions of the English-speaking world. I attended Clifton College, located just outside Bristol, in the west country of England and enjoyed a year of study, travel, lots of new friends, and, attending theatre in London. I came back to the states to attend Davidson College, a top-notch liberal arts college. I split my studies between two major interests: international studies with a focus on economic development issues in developing areas of the globe and the theatre.

My first job after graduating with a B.A. from Davidson College was Production Stage Manager for the Charlotte Shakespeare Company. We produced four shows in three months — crazy, but we did good work.

Then, I accepted an appointment to the faculty of The Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. My primary responsibilities were teaching Spanish language and literature to students preparing for advanced placement examinations, administrating a popular study-abroad program in Spain, coaching cross-country, and producing theatre.

Living in northern Virginia allowed me the opportunity to attend performances at Arena Stage and The Kennedy Center. As a result, my interest in pursuing a professional career in the theatre increased substantially. I decided to attend Northwestern University's Department of Theatre and Speech in Evanston, IL, to do an M.A. in theatre. This offered the opportunity to deepen my theatrical knowledge and craft, exploring performance aesthetics, acting, directing, voice, theatre history, and theatre theory.

After graduating from Northwestern University, I worked on a couple of shows in nearby Chicago, serving as vocal director and dialect coach at Pegasus Players and directing at Bailiwick Theatre. Advised by other theatre artists to intern in the regional theatres, I applied for and won an internship in casting and production at Actors Theatre of Louisville. This gave me the chance to observe veteran directors in rehearsal during the regular season and during the annual Humana Festival of New American Plays. I observed established directors Gloria Muzio, Jon Jory, and Oskar Eustis, among others. I became enthralled with their process in leading casts and creating their vision for productions.

I applied to Pennsylvania State University's M.F.A. in directing. This graduate training propelled me into a new relationship with the craft of creating theatre. I grew to trust my instincts, to stand by decisions, to collaborate and trust the process with actors, and to communicate effectively with designers.

Graduate school teaches so much. New York City teaches so much more. I moved here after finishing up my training at Pennsylvania State University. I founded a company devoted to putting together a repertory of old and new plays. It's called Broad Horizons Theatre Company. (www.bhorizons.org) Leading its endeavors I've learned, among other things, marketing, public relations, community building, funding, grant writing, humility, patience, and awe of those who've gone before.

Concurrent with my activities at Broad Horizons, I have directed over thirty productions in different venues nationwide, taught theatre (directing, acting, voice for the actor, dramatic literature, musical theatre techniques), and consulted as a communications and marketing specialist for major financial institutions.