top of page

About Me

My Story

I am a proud amalgamation of intersecting lineages, identities, life experiences, passions, visions, goals.


I proudly identify as biracial, transfeminine, neurodivergent, Buddhist, futurist.

Now 33 years into existence, I strive to upkeep a daily existence based in thriving, ecological sustainability, healing, self-actualization, equity for all.

 

Born in Virginia to an Idaho-American father + Japanese mother, I trace my ancestry to southern Japan + the British Isles, Germany, Sweden, Italy. I spent my childhood & formative years living between DC, Europe, Tokyo, New York, Oregon, Idaho.


Attending international schools + traveling abroad throughout my childhood exposed me to a plethora of cultures, peoples, and places, which have strongly shaped my current worldview. All the while, I inhabited a queer/trans identity that did not fully blossom until young adulthood. 

After receiving my BA in psychology from Georgetown University in 2012, I returned to Tokyo to work in the Japanese tourism industry before pursuing my graduate degree in Sustainable Tourism Management in three EU countries, graduating in 2017. Thereafter, I lived _ worked in the Pacific Northwest cities of Portland, OR + Boise, ID for 6 years before relocating to New Jersey in 2023 to begin working @ Rutgers University.

Professionally, I've pursued an array of diverse opportunities in the fields of applied social science research, advocacy, environmental justice, sustainable tourism - interrelated yet distinct areas of work that have continually inspired me to explore greater opportunities for overlap in other realms.  Including, most recently, integrative wellness coaching.


What's next is anyone's guess...
 

IMG_3053 (1)_edited.jpg

Nature

The spellbinding beauty & healing qualities of the natural world, flora & fauna, land & sea

  • daily time outside

  • ecology & conservation

  • hiking

  • camping

  • nature therapy

  • solitude

  • rewilding

Health & Wellness

The holistic synergy of essential physical / psychological / spiritual balance, healing, well-being of body & mind

Health + Well-being

  • plant-based nutrition

  • cooking

  • exercise

  • sleep

  • meditation + yoga

  • therapy

  • journaling

  • self-care

Top Passions

Travel

The opportunity to visit myriad ecologies / cultures / wonders that make Planet Earth an incredible living miracle

  • trips locally, domestically, abroad

  • natural exploration

  • novel adventures

  • mental travel

Psychology

The captivating human psyche & behavior in all its complexity; applications of research toward the betterment of others

  • spirituality

  • consciousness expansion

  • academic research

  • trauma healing

Meta

The innumerable complexities of existence, the Universe, consciousness, greater purpose; continually thinking on an existential plane

  • deep introspection

  • psychedelics

  • mind expansion

  • outer space / Universe

  • romanticism

Children + Animals

The beautiful innocence & wholesomeness that exists in the purity of childhood and animality

  • babies + youth

  • early education

  • pets

  • wildlife

Philosophy

The ponderance of the deeper questions of our world, ethics, how & why we exist, intersections w/ psychology & art

  • reading

  • discussions

  • reflection

  • writing

Buddhism

The belief system centered on ending suffering + engendering peace in the individual / interpersonal / collective consciousness via presence, compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, impermanence, non-duality, interconnection, emptiness

  • meditation

  • mindful presence

  • sangha

  • reflection

Japan

The rich history, culture, language, people, landscapes of the Japanese archipelago & my ancestral lineage

  • 東京、熊本

  • 日本語

  • 後藤家

  • 温泉♨

  • 和食

  • 伝統文化

Aesthetics + Arts

The daily appreciation of beauty & design in its countless manifestations of expression

  • natural landscapes + animals

  • visual arts

  • music

  • high fashion

  • biophilic design

  • minimalism

  • gardening

Connection + Community

The invaluable significance of family / close friends / love in providing the soul w bountiful joy, social support, greater meaning

  • bio + chosen family

  • loves

  • friends

  • communities

History

The 13.8 billion years of "past" that has occurred before this moment; reflecting on its applications to the present & future

  • natural

  • societal

  • anthropological

  • geological

  • futurism

Sustainability

The personal & global economic, socio-cultural, ecological considerations to achieve a prosperous, healthy, joyful, harmonious state for future generations

  • eco-friendliness

  • environmental justice

  • activism

  • conservation

  • ecotourism

Liberation

The radical freedom from constructs, ideals, stigmas, ego in a healing, authentic manner; advocating for & inspiring liberty, equity, justice for others

  • intersectional identities + diverse self-expression

  • advocacy

  • egolessness

  • liberalism

  • open-mindedness

bottom of page