Of English and Lithuanian heritage, my free-spirited sense of adventure has resulted in a life dedicated to the exploration of global cultures and experiences. I’m a self-confessed utopian at heart with a pragmatic streak and a strong belief in individual integrity, optimism, and hope.
My insatiable appetite for learning and understanding both the explained and unexplained frequently makes me chuckle at how I’ve been into everything – from hang-gliding to scuba diving and much in-between. A Jack of all trades? A master of none? Perhaps.
By age twelve I was ensconced in a Saturday job at the local market, selling fruit and vegetables. I still bear painful chilblains from those brutal, British winters. I suspect that’s where my determination and entrepreneurial spirit began. Eventually, I progressed to having my own t-shirt printing stall at the well-known Petticoat Lane market in London.
I’m quite a loon. I imagined myself as the next Kate Adie, a BBC war correspondent, or as an action movie star. Despite being a keen sportswoman with a creative flair, an eye for design and a keen interest in history, geography, architecture and current affairs, I ventured into accounting and finance for my living. I’m still wondering how that happened.
After many failed attempts to escape corporate life, I came to understand I was very well suited to program management. A manager once said, “You remind me of Shane (a cowboy). You refuse to do what you’re the best at.” I guess I had a different agenda.
I’m ‘a lifelong libertarian traveller who finds solace in beauty and does everything her way.’ Ultimately, I’ve discovered an innate ability to admire the elegance of our world while extracting simple lessons from the complex issues and dilemmas each of us face every day.