NOT AN ATHLETE
I wasn’t always an athlete. In fact, through my teens and early twenties, I led a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. It wasn’t until 2011, at 25 and in the middle of finishing my Master’s in Deep Sea Coral Reef Ecology, that I discovered paddling. I had worked as a seahorse breeder, studied marine biology and environmental science, and knew the ocean would always be part of my career—but sport wasn’t yet on my radar.
That changed quickly. Within weeks of hopping on a board, I signed up for my first SUP race. I didn’t even finish, but instead of walking away, I made a promise to myself to come back stronger. A year later, at the Carolina Cup’s 6-mile Money Island race, I not only crossed the finish line but placed second. That result lit a fire. By 2014, I was completely hooked, racing up and down the East Coast, winning local events, and working at a paddle company so I could dedicate my life to the sport.
GOING ALL IN
My first real breakthrough came in 2016, when I signed with Hobie and Salt Life and set off on the European race tour. In 2017, I moved to California to train full time and started my coaching business on the side, wanting to share what I was learning with others who loved the water as much as I did.
The results began stacking up: Gold at the Pan American Surfing Games, wins at the Gorge Downwind and Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge, a runner-up finish at the Carolina Cup Graveyard Race, and eventually the APP World Tour Vice-Champion title in 2019. In 2022, I put it all together—winning the Carolina Cup, medaling at the Va’a World Sprint Championships, taking Gold at both the ICF and ISA SUP World Championships, and finishing the season as Overall World Tour Champion after competing across California, London, Korea, and Spain.
But what stands out most to me isn’t the medals themselves—it’s what it took to get there. I learned that training plans and volume alone aren’t enough. Success came when I started focusing just as much on recovery, nutrition, and above all, mindset. Bringing my mind and body into balance is what allowed me to perform at my best.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Today, I’m honored to serve as Team USA’s Elite Outrigger Coach, guiding some of the strongest athletes in the country. Coaching at this level has confirmed what my own career taught me: success comes from far more than just putting in the miles. It’s about how you show up each day—with discipline, focus, and intention.
That’s why coaching has become my true calling. Beyond Team USA, I work 1:1 with paddlers who want personalized support, and I’ve built the Paddle Training Platform and Punk Paddlers community to make high-level coaching accessible to anyone who’s ready to grow.
I think of my life and work through three pillars: Athlete, Author, and Activist. As an athlete, I continue to push my own limits and stay connected to the sport I love. As an author, I share what I’ve learned—the science, the setbacks, and the strategies that helped me transform. And as an activist, I use my voice and platform to give back, supporting both the paddling community and the health of the waters that sustain us.
I’ve lived both extremes—the unhealthy lifestyle and the world-champion lifestyle—and I know what it takes to bridge that gap. My philosophy is simple: the path to peak performance runs through mindfulness. It’s the small, intentional actions, practiced daily, that add up to real and lasting transformation.
Through coaching, my mission is to share not just the tools that carried me from couch potato to world champion, but the mindset that can help you become the strongest, healthiest version of yourself—on and off the water.