My life has always revolved around food, family, and bringing people together around a table.

I was raised between Waimea on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi and Sonoma County, California, and spent nearly thirty years living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Eventually, the pull of home brought me back to our beloved island to be closer to family. And then came COVID. BAM! Talk about getting closer to your community!

When the pandemic hit, I felt a calling to bring a little comfort to the people around me. That calling became the State of Grace Pie Club, born from a simple idea: make delicious, gourmet savory pies accessible to everyone. Who knew pot pies would become such a hit in Hawaiʻi?

My love affair with food began long before that. I come from a long matriarchal line of remarkable women and exceptional cooks, but some of my fondest food memories were made during summers at my grandparents' fishing resort and restaurant, Camp Prattville, in Lake Almanor, California. My grandmother Carol introduced me to the magic of pie making and passed along what I affectionately call the Pie Pusher gene. Some things just run in the family.

Over the years, my journey through food, hospitality, and creative entrepreneurship has taken me around the world. I began my career working at The Ritz-Carlton Mauna Lani and Glen Ellen Winery, followed by a position as Assistant Director of Catering at San Francisco's Campton Place Hotel and later as Pastry Chef at Seattle-based Café Ladro.

Then Copenhagen became home. There, I founded and operated GraceLand Productions, one of Denmark's first full-service production companies. Working alongside some of Europe's finest food and advertising photographers allowed me to combine my love of food with creativity, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. I also found ways to stay connected to the kitchen, writing three cookbooks for the Danish market featuring American desserts, American comfort food, and Danish desserts. My work was published in several of Denmark's leading food magazines, and I eventually became the chef and owner of Denmark's first sweet pie shop.

Through all these experiences, one thing remained constant: my belief that food is so much more than what is on the plate. It is comfort, connection, culture, and community. It has the remarkable ability to bring people together, create memories, and make people feel at home.

Today, I'm thrilled to bring all of those experiences back to Hawaiʻi through State of Grace. As the business grows, so does my commitment to being part of something bigger: supporting local agriculture, building sustainable food systems, creating meaningful jobs, and contributing to the revitalization of our local economy. I believe Hawaiʻi has an extraordinary opportunity to cultivate a vibrant, resilient food culture, and I'm proud to play a small part in that journey.

When I'm not in the kitchen, you'll likely find me spending time with my tribe, meeting new people, loving on my dog, or enjoying life with my daughter Emma, the love of my life.

I believe in keeping life a little relaxed, food abundant, and the table always open. Because at the end of the day, great food isn't just about feeding people. It's about feeding their souls.

Feeding your soul is my passion.