How do you practice self-care?

One thing I’ve been trying to do this year, now that I have little pockets of time, is getting back into hobbies I enjoyed before having a baby, like reading books and sewing clothes and cooking new recipes. I’m very creative and need an outlet for that energy, but I had to ignore it for a while in the blur of caring for a baby.

Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Richmond?

I grew up in Maryland and Pennsylvania — my family moved a few times and I’ve actually lived in five states so far. Prior to moving to Richmond, I was in Williamsburg due to my job at the time, but I knew I needed to get back to a more urban and diverse place to live so I had had an eye on Richmond for a while. Once VCU hired me, my husband started looking for a new job and we were able to relocate to Richmond in 2020. We’ve bought a house since then and I don’t plan on moving again so this is the first time in my life where I feel like I can develop a community and really build roots.

How did becoming a mother change you?

It was so humbling. I was used to feeling very competent and capable at the things I did day to day. Then I became a parent and felt like I knew nothing about what I was doing and was pretty sure I was doing everything wrong. I’m happy to say I’m feeling a little more confident in my skills these days, but the toddler phase can still throw me for a loop. And I’m sure going from parenting one to two kids is going to be humbling in a whole new way.

What is the last great book or television series you've read/watched?

I’m an active Goodreads member and have read 22 books so far this year. Of those, I’d say the best were The Schuyler Sisters series by Beatriz Williams, which are historical fiction, and the Finlay Donovan caper mysteries by Elle Cosimano, which are literally laugh-out-loud funny. For TV, lately I’ve been obsessed with The Morning Show on Apple TV — I have a degree in communications and have always been fascinated with media.