About Me

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About:




Born and raised in Arlington, TX, I have always been an outgoing, adventurous individual. I love the theatre, the outdoors, reading, and travelling. I also love to bake and cook, and I firmly believe that food and family are two of the greatest pleasures in life.


I am a Theatre & Dance major at UT, with a concentration in Stage Management and a Business minor. I have worked at California Shakespeare Theatre in San Francisco, CA, and at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, IL, over the past two summers.


I first became interested in distance cycling while I was living in Berkeley and working at Cal Shakes. The San Francisco Bay Area is a dream for a cyclist (or a foodie - both of which I am!) and I fell in love with both the area and cycling.


When I came back to UT after San Francisco, I knew I wanted to do the Texas 4000 - I could make a huge difference in the lives of people who were suffering and have a great adventure. I had heard about it the previous year, and when I mentioned it to a friend at the time, he laughed and said I would never do it. Over the course of my life, I have had people tell me many times that I could not accomplish the goals I set for myself - unfortunately for them, they have almost always been wrong.

Lastly, my family is very important to me and I have to thank my grandmothers (Mama & Gran), grandfathers (Big Daddy & Grandad), my aunt Cindy, and of course my parents and brother for always being an inspiration and a pillar of support for me.

Why I Ride

Too often today people are only able to see their own limited worldview. Cancer should be in everyone's viewfinder, but unless the disease directly affects people, it often is not. I'm here to do what I can to change that. I've been lucky. I have never lost a close relative to cancer, but the likelihood is that one day I will. Texas 4000 is unique in that it spreads the word about cancer - it could happen to you, or your significant other, or your child. We must bring the world community together as a united force to fight this disease.

I ride for a very important and lovely woman named Emily Hunter and her mother, Laura Jones. Laura Jones taught me science in elementary school. At the time, I didn't know her daughter. When I was a freshman in high school, however, I met Emily Hunter.


Emily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma two years before she died at the age of 17. She was a brilliant, unbelievable human being. She fought a terrible bone cancer for over two years, losing her arm in the process, and she was always a beacon of optimism for those around her. At the time, I had no idea how someone could be so determined against such a frightening disease. I'm older now, and still in many ways it baffles me.


Though I was never a very close friend of Emily, she taught me a huge lesson. This CAN happen to me. Emily was truly a remarkable woman and a real fighter. I'm riding to Alaska for her, because this is what I can do to show her and those like her that I believe in their cause and I have made it my own.