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I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated with degrees in Political Science, History and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin before moving to Chicago to earn my Masters Degree in Political Science from Loyola University. Before launching VocationVacations®, I spent more than a decade in the corporate world. Early in my career, I lived and worked in Tallinn, Estonia, helping set up an office automation company in the immediate post-Soviet period. After returning to Chicago, I worked my way up in the telecommunications industry with AT&T and Ameritech (now AT&T) taking an assignment in Budapest, Hungary, as a product marketing director for Matav, a joint venture between Ameritech and Deutsche Telekom. Once again returning to Chicago, I went on to become the director of business development for a dot.com startup.

The VocationVacations concept was born on Chicago's Kennedy Expressway during one of my long, daily commutes. Numb from my lack of passion for what I did for a living and staring at brake lights, I wondered what it would be like to be a wine maker, a tour guide or a dog trainer. I wanted to explore my dream jobs through a company offering working adults short-term “internships” while on vacation. But with research, I realized such a company did not exist. A business idea was born. I went on to work at the dot.com -- only to get a pink slip in late 2001. After the lay-off, I took a six-month road trip across the United States and parts of Canada. During my travels, I realized the time was right to dust off my business idea. At the end of my trip, I moved from Chicago to Portland, Oregon. After first test-driving a dream job in the wine industry, I created my ultimate dream job by launching VocationVacations® in January, 2004.

I am a “Vocationer” myself and help others to pursue and attain their dream-job lifestyle (what I call the “Vocationing Process”). I love the balance of living in a cosmopolitan city such as Portland yet close to the ocean, mountains and Pinot Noir vineyards. The VocationVacations’ downtown Portland office is humble but “hip” with views of the city and Mt. Hood.

I am living my dream-job lifestyle now - helping other people pursue their true passions in work…and in life!