The Lord has called me to the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington (go dawgs!). Despite being away from my home in Southern California, I am excited to bring sunshine to the rainy Seattle area.

[the team at UW 2024-2025]

I never thought I would become a missionary, but then God changed my life.  

Coming from the sunny suburbs of Ventura County, California, I grew up in a faithful Catholic family and a welcoming home parish. From a young age, I became more interested in my career and my future, without learning about my faith and who God is. My view of God was distant and as someone who was not invested in my life. I began to learn more about my faith in high school through confirmation classes and being surrounded by peers my age. I encountered Jesus at the end of these classes. Through our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, He ravished my heart. I began to lead my peers as a confirmation leader, but I wasn’t living in community with the other leaders. Instead, I led a double life as a Church Leader on Sundays, and a secular student throughout the week.   

God pursued me to UC Berkeley, where I entered college with big dreams of becoming a doctor and hopes for a new start. I still wanted to pursue my faith, but with the mindset that I would be the only Catholic there. Much to my surprise, I encountered Catholics tabling during the first week of school handing out rosaries. That night, I went to my first event at Newman and encountered Christ again in the Eucharist. As I kept coming back each week for adoration, I joined a bible study led by a FOCUS missionary. This led me to meet some of my best friends who now are also on mission. We continued to run to Christ together throughout our four years. I learned so much more about my faith, grew tremendously as a person, and fell more in love with the God who at one time I thought was unreachable. I learned that God desired me, all of me, and He was worth risking everything for.  

If it weren’t for the FOCUS missionaries who walked with me and pursued me in friendship from the beginning of college, I would have never been able to become who I am today, let alone a missionary. Their joyfulness and active pursuit of God showed me how I could also be like them. I learned how to pray, how to pursue others in authentic friendship, and trust God in all things. Now, I will be able to do the same for other college students who are seeking meaning in life and a home, and I can invite them into the greatest love story ever written. 

I am not able to do this mission alone. When I answered the call to join FOCUS, I made the decision to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to help me through this mission. If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know of the best way to reach you and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you! You can reach me via phone at (805) 259-7859 or email ([email protected]).