Denver has been home since I was 12 years old. I was raised in a military, biracial family and moved to Colorado when my father retired. My father was Lakota (Sioux) and my mother was Japanese. My interest in the addiction field was sparked by my father’s volunteerism at a local addiction program for Native Americans and his personal recovery. I volunteered at the same program as my father and while working with adolescents found a lifelong calling helping others. I have been blessed in my career with opportunities to work with and develop programs for adolescents, adults, and families.