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I graduated in 2009 from Waltrip High School. I didn't really have a plan but I knew I wanted to get to Sam Houston State University to major in Criminal Justice!

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Spring 2010 I enrolled in Lonestar College North Harris for the first time to pursue a career in Criminal Justice.

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By the Fall of 2010, I realized this just wasn't working out for me. Instead of taking the proper measures of withdrawing from classes, I just did nothing and failed out of all my classes. This put the notion in my head "there's no coming back from that, your GPA is shot now".

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Once I realized the path I was on wasn't where I wanted to be, I took some time to think and research other options.

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By the end of 2010 I was done with all my self reflecting and searching. It was set in motion and I was on my way to becoming a Pastry Chef!

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April 2011 I packed up and started my culinary journey at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin, TX!

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I was 20 years old in a new city with no car, no job, and no friends. My step-mom worked so hard to help me through culinary school. She sacrificed so much so that I could focus on school with no distractions. I would not be the chef I am today without her support.

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I stuck with it this time! Pastry has always been a passion and to turn it into a career made it that much sweeter. I graduated with honors with a certificate in Baking and Pastry and a 4.0 GPA.

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When I moved back home I continued working at the same bakery I completed my externship. I started at Ruggles Cafe Bakery, but worked my way around town at places like Niko Niko's, Cacao and Cardamom, and Smallcakes.

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In 2014 my older sister started to display odd behaviors, drastic mood swings, hallucinations, and paranoia. It took time and a lot of bumps and turns until she was diagnosed in 2015 as being "Bipolar Schizophrenic". I decided I needed some distance, I was burning out at work, so I started broadening my work search.

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See ya later Houston, hello San Antonio! 

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See ya later Houston, hello San Antonio! 

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June 2016 I started a new life in San Antonio at one of the best bakeries I could have ever had the opportunity to work for. Bakery Lorraine taught me so much as a person, a chef, and leader. Working for Bakery Lorraine reignited my love for the industry and gave me more than I expected.

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A year and a half into learning at Bakery Lorraine and I was ready to take charge. A shift lead position opened up and I felt ready to take it on. My sister who is still struggling heavily with her schizophrenia gave birth and I lost sight of my goals. I didn't speak up so I was looked over.

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How do you feel about managing an entire bakery in a new city?

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How do you feel about managing an entire bakery in a new city?

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Running a restaurant was never in my plans. It just so happened to find its way into my life though. October 2018, I became the Team Lead and store manager for the very first Bakery Lorraine location in Austin, TX. Lucky me, I was able to live through that experience with my child hood best friend as my room mate! Plans have a weird way of working out differently than you had hoped. This is an experience I will cherish for a very long time.

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Well, after nearly 10 years of dating, what started as a joke turned into us actually going forward and deciding to get married! At the end of 2018 for my birthday I was surprised with an evening of Harry Potter shenanigans and my beautiful engagement ring that has a stone in my House color (an emerald for Slytherin).

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In the midst of me having a pretty amazing career, by 2020 I found myself getting burned out. The restaurant industry can be exhausting. The Lonestar Career Services page really guided me down my path to Surgical Technology. The OR is like a kitchen right? Only the "steaks" are higher.  😂sorry...

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I always knew there was a possibility, but I never really thought I would actually be living in a pandemic. To say it has been hard really is an understatement. Wild, uprooting, eye-opening, somber, painful, healing, growth, the list goes on. These are words we can all associate with what we have all been living through. It will be a time in my life I won't forget.

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Well its October 2020 and I was supposed to get married this month. As they say in show biz, "the show must go on." Our wedding plans changed but our life plans did not. Covid prevented us from having our wedding in 2020 but I was finally able to move back home and take a long break from working for the first time since I was 19 years old.

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Once again, the universe has a weird way of working things out for you. I am now the head Pastry Chef for a Houston bakery named Anonymous Cafe. I start on February 8th and I couldn't be more excited. My self-confidence is not super high when it pertains to my craft. It's hard not to compare your skills in such a competitive industry. I could have been where I am today three years ago. But, because the universe is who she is, I gained two years of front of house restaurant experience. This made me the sole applicant who was able to do the job I was applying for and more, which made me stand out from the crowd.

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Common threads found in my timeline would be me always finding my way home. School and work give me reason and opportunity to travel, learn, and work throughout Texas. My leadership skills and determination have helped guide me on my path.

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Going through the timeline process, I discovered my passion is to be successful at everything I do. I have worked at some really well known places, that is surprising in itself! Walking out of my interview and knowing I had absolutely nailed it, was when I knew what 100% confidence feels like!

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My time at Bakery Lorraine will be an experience I can always refer back to in a teaching moment. I want to continue to be a hard working chef while also setting and keeping boundaries when it comes to work and persona life. Taking all the knowledge and applying it in my new job, I can create an easier and lighter work load for all employees.