I came to analysis from an unusual direction. At 19 I flew to Bariloche, Argentina on a gap year to train as a ski instructor, which I spent the next four months teaching with while living in Niseko, Japan. It was easily the best year of my life. Then I went home to start uni… and three weeks later... Australia went into full Covid lockdown. That whiplash taught me something I've leaned on since:

I am at my best when stepping into something unfamiliar and giving it structure. I find that genuinely satisfying.

Growing up across Houston, Chicago, and New York before moving to Sydney aged 13 taught me early that places operate differently. This is often in ways I don't expect, and paying attention to that difference is an advantage. That's also why I love languages. The fastest way to understand a place is to try to speak its language (even badly) and to talk to people. It changes how you place yourself in the world and what you think you're capable of.

Moving from Sydney to Melbourne for my master's was big. I wanted out of my comfort zone, so... I put the full weight of adult life on myself at once: bills, budgeting, a household, a job search. It was the perfect kind of hard to learn things I didn't know I needed to. It made me clearer, steadier, and more honest.

Talking hobbies, Skiing and surfing feel like almost the same sport to me now: I read the environment, commit to a line, and adjust as I go. And yes, I'm aware this is an odd pairing, you may just have to trust me there. But that instinct and the curiosity that comes from moving a lot, in every part of my life, keeps pulling me toward the intersection of business, language, and culture, and eventually toward something impactful at a global level.