About me…

The person I am is shaped by a life of contrasts. I was raised by a single mum who never attended high school, then I earned a PhD. I married a drug addict at 22 years old, but later became a police officer. I’ve known peak health and fitness, but I’ve also had cancer. At different times, I’ve known all encompassing love, and absolute rejection. Through it all, I've forged values, insights and love, that I share through my work as educator, storyteller and artist.

I believe diverse experiences enrich our minds and hearts. Over my lifetime, I tried many different jobs, some of the earliest being gardener, bakery worker, cleaner and fruit picker. Later I trained in horticulture and worked in plant propagation and sales. Volunteering with the CFS inspired me to work in emergency services - that’s how I came to spend a decade as a police officer. Later I returned to my love of nature, with a diploma of garden design. I worked for several years designing spaces for homes, schools and businesses. When my daughter started school, I went to university, gaining degrees in evolutionary biology and environmental science. In 2019 I began my PhD in social sciences- looking at how people connect with nature in an urban environment. I graduated with a doctorate in early 2024.

Over the years there have been so many challenges, too many to detail here. But a deep relationship with nature in all its forms, has always sustained me. So I founded ‘Nature To You’ as a way to share what I’ve learned, to use my creative skills to help others, and to fulfil my own curiosity and playfulness!