WISDOM CV

Moments and people that shaped me.

Experiences

2005, Meditation Facilitator

RJ Donovan Maximum Security State Prison, San Diego

During my time as a meditation facilitator at RJ Donovan Maximum Security State Prison in San Diego, I observed that prisons are primarily focused on punishment, containment, and control, rather than rehabilitation. This experience underscored the urgent need for reform – we are missing out on so much human potential by not providing avenues for true rehabilitation and growth.

2009-2013, Pediatric Oncology Camp Counselor

Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times

As a counselor at Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times, a camp dedicated to kids battling cancer and their siblings, I experienced magical summers filled with songs, campfires, and hikes alongside some of the most amazing kids on this planet.

2014, Nurse

Bujumbura, Burundi

In Bujumbura, Burundi, it’s challenging to find a place that rivals its beauty in landscape, people, and spirit. My time there was a profound lesson in hope, healing, and the power of belief.

2015, Nurse

Psychiatric Emergency Room, Mt Sinai, NYC

My experience in the psychiatric emergency room at Mt Sinai, NYC, brought me face-to-face with the intense human suffering and struggles of those in mental health crises. This encounter sparked a lifelong curiosity and a deep passion for creating a system that offers help that is actually helpful, inspiring me to pursue moonshot solutions in mental health care.

2016, Shared Carpool

Uber Pool, Brooklyn, NY

I once shared an Uber ride with a stranger who spoke with such depth and passion—about everything from the school-to-prison pipeline to mental health to bike riding—that their words stayed with me. When our paths crossed again, it reminded me how certain moments and connections can leave a lasting mark, shaping who we become and how we see the world.

TEACHERS

2005, Dominican Priest

Fr. John Paul Forté, O.P.

Fr. John Paul Forté, O.P., shed light on the concept of ‘sin’, explaining its Greek roots as ‘missing the mark’. He taught that the real sin in life is not embracing our true selves – in other words, missing the mark of who we are.

2007, Black Panther Elders and UAACC Founders

Geronimo Ji-Jaga and Pete O'Neal, UAACC, Tanzania

During a Tanzanian summer, I casually bummed a ride and unexpectedly met Geronimo Ji-Jaga and Pete O’Neal, former Black Panther leaders. This fortuitous encounter evolved into a summer filled with mentorship and friendship, interwoven with stories of joy, laughter, and struggles against injustice, leaving a lasting impact on my life.

2009, president and CEO of Synthorx, Inc ($THOR)

Laura Shawver, Ph.D., CEO

Laura, whose leadership at Synthorx culminated in Sanofi’s impressive $2.5 billion acquisition of the company, imparted to me invaluable lessons in leadership. She guided me through the intricacies of effective leadership, right down to the practical know-how of fixing a company’s broken toilet.

2013, Psych Patient at Mt Sinai

B

B’s passing profoundly highlighted a critical truth: it’s not the patients who are sick or broken, but the medical industrial complex itself, revealing deep systemic issues in healthcare.

2019, Politcal Organizer

Crystal Rogers

Crystal’s unwavering dedication nurtured a fiery hope within me, a conviction that with relentless persistence, we can forge a more equitable and vastly improved system.

Alien Superstar

Beyoncé

Light On

Maggie Rogers

A Change Is Gonna Come

Fugees

Relentless Healthcare Value

Stacey Richter

Tara Brach

Say More with Dr? Sheila

Amy Poehler

Emergent Strategy

adrienne marie brown

Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu translation by Stephen Mitchell

What The Living Do

Marie Howe