What inspired or motivated you to pursue work abroad? Was this always your plan?
While my UCLA education was extraordinary, I realized it came with limitations. UCLA Theater taught me the craft of storytelling, but I needed to explore more stories—ones that would shape me, challenge me, and intertwine with my own. Initially, I had no plans to work abroad, but through deep listening, a skill I began to cultivate at UCLA, I felt a calling. That call led me to Ecuador, where a journey began that continues to this day.
Can you speak a little bit about your career and how it has progressed since graduating from UCLA?
After UCLA, I didn’t have a clear plan but trusted my skills in arts and education to guide me. That led me to Ecuador, where I co-founded two non-profits focused on biodiversity loss, climate change, and cultural preservation. While I thought I’d direct plays, I now co-create stories with Indigenous and frontline communities—building narratives together, not to present my vision, but to foster shared visions for a better, more just world.
What would you say to a UCLA student who is planning on having an international career?
An international career isn’t about leaving your mark—it’s about contributing to something bigger than yourself. While your degree is valuable, living abroad teaches you that you are more than your credentials. Approach this work with radical humility, empathy, and a willingness to unlearn assumptions. Success isn’t asserting expertise—it’s offering yourself to collaborative and transformative efforts to build a better, interconnected world.