What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

When I was in high school, I worked as an organ teacher. My first student was a young girl from Paraguay. The girl's mother was bedridden with MS and only spoke Spanish. I spent just as much time giving music lessons as I did visiting with the family. I learned that a job is more than just the skill involved (I am not a talented musician), but how important it is to foster human relationships.

Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?

My parents are both pretty incredible. They are the heros I most admire. My dad and his family fled Estonia when he was 12 years old. The family lived in a refugee camp in Germany for several years before coming to the United States. Today, my Dad manages to maintain a balance between being an electrical engineer and rounding out his life with sports (soccer) and music (five different instruments). He also is a highly sensitive person and has taught me to be not only a good scholar, but to be meaningful in my pursuit of knowledge.

My mom grew up in Berlin during World War II. In spite of the many losses of close family members in her early life and abject poverty, she is an extraordinarily compassionate person.

Both of my parents had little guidance in their lives and few chances for love--yet they give lots to me and my sister--you can't ask for more.

What are you most proud of (either professionally or personally)?

I am most proud of my commitment to the human spirit. I consistently find myself in situations, both professionally and personally, where courage has been required to maintain the values which promote human qualities. I stand up in front of forty (sometimes hefty) construction students and speak about the need to create places in ways that respect nature. Many students are grateful for focusing on people in the classroom versus numbers and calculations--often associated with construction and engineering fields. I enjoy showing them that you can still understand how things are built, but you can make choices about materials and methods that do not damage the environment and create places that inspire daily life.

What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?

Besides teaching in construction, I am a registered architect. The field of architecture as it is often practiced (all-nighters, 7 days a week, weeks) is not conducive to having a family life. Plus the pay and job security can be a challenge. I think that it is important for women to realize that this is the reality in many architecture firms today, however, the more women that begin to enter the profession will have an impact on bringing balance into the workplace. Or, in my case (I'm a single parent of a four year old little boy), I choose to teach and have my own practice--this way I have more flexibility in my schedule.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino. This book poetically describes how Marco Polo and Khubla Kan (who do not share the same language) speak to one another about Marco Polo's travels. Each page of the book talks about the qualities of a different city. The beauty of the story is that it makes one think about what makes a place memorable versus invisible.

What is your favorite Web site?

http://www.witi.com

I love reading our stories.

What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?

I have an opportunity to be a true steward of the environment. I enjoy sharing my passion and knowledge that lets people, without financial resources, merely utilize creativity and intent, to improve their surroundings. I will never know everything about what I do--hence, I will always have to learn and share with others. What a great way to live.

What was your darkest moment (professionally) and what did you learn from it?

I was threatened that I would lose my job if I took students on a study abroad. I, and the students went anyway. I quit over the situation. I learned that I should not have quit--karma keeps returning the lesson to me. So now I know not to quit. One has to stand up for one's convictions. How can you value yourself otherwise? And, conversely, how can others value you if you don't find ways to effectively support your beliefs?

What do you do to relax?

Sit on my back patio and watch the sun set over Horsetooth mountain. Heaven and earth!