I played Alpine little league baseball with my younger brother on a team of all boys. As I neared high school my dad told me I would have to switch to softball, but I didn’t like softball so I tried water polo in sixth grade.

Honestly the winning and games or anything was not my favorite part. It was the camaraderie outside of the pool that was the best: being in the van with fifteen girls, going out to dinners and just making memories with my teammates.

When I started at Menlo Atherton High School, they did not have that good of a team, and as a freshman, I was probably better than all the upperclassmen on my team. Some of the older girls felt trumped that I made it onto varsity my first year, but after four years there, our team came together and came head to head with some of the top teams in the area.

When deciding what college to go to between Stanford and Princeton, I ultimately chose Stanford for its superior water polo team. I wanted to challenge and push myself to get better. Water polo was a lot of work involving blood, sweat, and tears, but the challenge was worth it as I got better every year.

I studied biological science, narrowed down to neurobiology. I had to work to fit both water polo and my demanding major into my schedule, but I really appreciate that Stanford was accommodating to let me finish my labs when I could.

I’m smiling now as I recall all my years of playing water polo. I’d have to say college because although it was nerve racking at times, it was so rewarding. Now playing at the New York Athletic Club with an all star team of women from my college team and club teams also gives me so much gratification.

The big one that all my coworkers would agree on is playing water polo. It’s not as big of a sport here in NY as it is in California, so people are always asking me about it and I talk a lot about it. I also bike everywhere–to work and to the athletic club; At first I was shocked that I wouldn’t need a car here, but it’s so true. I also travel a lot and I love that my job gives me that opportunity.

This is my fourth year working for Elsevier, a scientific publishing company, in sales and consulting. I love, love, love my job and am so grateful to interact with researchers from NASA, the FBI, CIA, department of defense, etc.

The three greatest things about my job are the following: to be able to express my passion for science, to interact with so many people–not just stuck in a lab, and to travel so much–not be strapped to my desk.

Lately I’ve done a lot of self thinking, and I’d have to say my favorite part of life right now is just the variety of living in New York. After living within a five mile radius of myself while growing up, its amazing to travel the city and be immersed in so much unique culture. The spice of life is what I get the most joy out of.

YEAH! I definitely still see a lot of the girls I grew up with and who play club now. I play now with a bunch of the girls from college and club and I love laughing at all our memories.

An advisor in my lab in college told me to never hold yourself to a five, ten, or twenty year plan. Your dreams change and so do you. I’ve really tried to follow this advice in my life.