After discovering coaching as a teenager, I felt an early pull toward helping others find clarity and purpose—but it wasn’t until I experienced profound personal loss that I reached a turning point. Losing my mother at 26 reshaped how I saw life, bringing a deep awareness of its impermanence and a desire to live with more intention, connection, and meaning. I didn’t want to keep waiting—I wanted to fully step into work that felt aligned with who I was and what I valued. That’s where IIN made all the difference.
The Health Coach Training Program™ gave me a structured foundation in holistic wellbeing, behavior change, and mind–body–spirit integration, helping me turn an intuitive calling into a clear, actionable path. Today, as the founder of Food for Soul, I work with individuals and organizations around the world to create meaningful, lasting transformation—supporting them in finding purpose, navigating change, and building more balanced, fulfilling lives.
YOU KNEW FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT YOU WANTED TO HELP OTHERS THROUGH COACHING. WHAT FIRST SPARKED THAT DESIRE?
A: I had a mother who was passionate about personal development and holistic therapies, and I was fortunate that she brought me to my first coaching seminar with Dr. John Demartini when I was only fifteen. Learning the fundamentals of coaching and experiencing firsthand the power of tools that help us release stuck emotions and find clarity and purpose was life-changing. It felt like my world was clicking into place. Everything he shared resonated deeply, and I left that seminar feeling like a more empowered version of myself—one I wanted to share with others. That’s when I first realized I wanted to become a coach.
HOW DID THE LOSS OF YOUR MOTHER SHAPE YOUR DECISION TO FULLY STEP INTO THIS WORK?
A: I lost my mother to pancreatic cancer at 26, after three years of her being ill. To this day, it remains the most painful period of my life. Watching someone I loved so deeply fight for her life, and eventually come to terms with her passing, pushed me to live more intentionally. It made me deeply aware of life’s impermanence and left me with a renewed desire to live fully and feel truly alive. While I had always loved coaching and knew I wanted to pursue it, losing her gave me the courage to take that leap. I felt I owed it to both myself and my mother to honor my life with purpose, connection, love, wonder, and courage.
FOR SOMEONE NEW TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ITS IMPACT ON LIVING A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE?
A: For me, the core principle of health and wellness coaching is balance—not only across interconnected areas of life such as career, relationships, physical activity, health, and spirituality, but also across the layers of our being: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. When you approach life from this consciously integrated perspective, you begin to see how all these dimensions influence one another, making it essential to nurture each of them. Many people are not aware of this interdependence and may try to make changes in one area without considering the impact on their overall wellbeing. Wellness coaching helps clients bring conscious, aligned choices to all aspects of life so they can feel more balanced, empowered, and focused on creating the life they truly want.
WHAT MAKES A HOLISTIC, MIND–BODY–SPIRIT APPROACH SO POWERFUL FOR LASTING CHANGE?
A: When you approach change from a holistic perspective, the potential to move forward with clarity and achieve your goals is much greater. It reduces the likelihood of self-sabotage driven by emotional fears or limiting beliefs, which already brings you closer to success. A balanced, integrated approach also makes change more sustainable, ensuring that progress is lasting rather than temporary.
TELL US ABOUT FOOD FOR SOUL AND THE MISSION BEHIND YOUR WORK.
A: Food for Soul was born from the desire to nurture people’s souls through content, tools, and services that inspire and empower them to live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. The work includes holistic life and wellness coaching for individuals, as well as happiness consulting for companies through coaching, talks, and workshops.
It also led to my book, Food for Soul, a transformational travel memoir that shares the inner and outer journey my husband Antonio and I experienced while traveling the world for 15 months. The book is a reflection on adventure, wonder, conscious partnership, career reinvention, and healing from loss, with the intention of inspiring others navigating change to live more fully.
WHAT ARE YOUR CLIENTS TYPICALLY EXPERIENCING WHEN THEY COME TO YOU?
A: My clients are often seeking more purpose in life, particularly in their careers, support in navigating loss—whether the end of a relationship or the loss of a loved one—and greater overall balance. What they share is a desire for hope, clarity, and guidance in creating a fuller, more meaningful life.
YOU SPEAK ABOUT JOY, GROWTH, AND CONNECTION AS MEASURES OF A MEANINGFUL LIFE. HOW DO YOU HELP CLIENTS RECONNECT WITH THOSE?
A: My coaching is grounded in the understanding that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Introducing clients to this spiritual layer often brings greater peace, hope, and wonder, even when they didn’t realize they were missing it. For me, spirituality includes connection with oneself, others, nature, and the world. Through practices like journaling, meditation, acts of kindness, and identifying values and strengths, clients begin to reconnect with purpose, joy, and meaningful contribution.
HOW DO PURPOSE AND VALUES-BASED LIVING INFLUENCE OVERALL MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING?
A: It comes down to living in alignment with our values and honoring who we are—our talents, passions, and personality. When we are clear on who we are, what we love, and how we want to contribute, we can move forward with greater clarity, focus, and ease. This alignment creates a sense of empowerment and allows us to move through life with more trust and presence.
WHAT’S ONE TOOL OR PRACTICE THAT CONSISTENTLY HELPS YOUR CLIENTS CREATE REAL TRANSFORMATION?
A: A values-determination exercise that helps clients identify their top values and begin living in alignment with them.
HOW DO YOU GUIDE CLIENTS THROUGH PERIODS OF UNCERTAINTY OR LIFE TRANSITION?
A: With compassion and deep listening, I create a safe space where clients feel grounded and fully heard. One of my strengths is being an equalizing presence—calm, attentive, and intuitive to what is often left unspoken. This allows clients to gain clarity, build confidence, and co-create actionable steps forward.
YOU’VE WORKED WITH INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS AROUND THE WORLD. HOW HAS TRAVEL SHAPED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WELLNESS AND CONNECTION?
A: I’ve come to see that some cultures prioritize wellness and connection more intentionally than others. In places like India, for example, Ayurveda is still widely practiced as a preventative system of care, whereas other systems tend to focus more on treating illness.
There are also daily rituals—like puja, chanting, prayer, and even food practices such as mukhwas—that naturally support both connection and wellbeing. These small, consistent habits reflect a more integrated way of living.
Travel has also shown me how deeply our environment affects well-being. Being surrounded by nature, or having access to it, has a profound impact on how we feel and relate to ourselves. Ultimately, wellness is not separate from daily life—it is woven into it.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE UNIVERSAL VS. PERSONAL ASPECTS OF WELLBEING ACROSS DIFFERENT CULTURES?
A: While traveling for 15 months, I explored many holistic therapies such as Ayurveda, Reiki, crystal healing, Hado, and astrology. I realized that while practices differ, they often share the same foundation: the understanding that we are energetic beings capable of influencing our thoughts and emotions by shifting our energy through different tools and approaches.
WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE YOUR TRAINING THROUGH THE INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION?
A: The holistic curriculum and diverse expertise of the teachers drew me in. I loved that it addressed not only nutrition and exercise, but all areas of life that impact wellbeing. Tools like the Circle of Life® remain central to my coaching practice. The flexibility of the online format also allowed me to complete the program while working in my corporate role in London, and the credibility of the certification was an important factor as well.
HOW HAS YOUR IIN EDUCATION INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU COACH AND BUILD YOUR BUSINESS?
A: Many IIN tools and principles continue to guide my work. IIN’s approach reflects what I believe is the foundation of a healthy, fulfilling life: holistic, balanced, and centered on wellbeing and growth.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST MEANINGFUL PART OF YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR?
A: Making a positive difference in my clients’ lives. This is meaningful not only over time, but in each individual session. When a client leaves feeling inspired or experiencing a breakthrough, I feel deep gratitude and fulfillment.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE SEEKING MORE PURPOSE, BALANCE, OR DIRECTION IN THEIR LIFE?
A: Take time to truly get to know yourself—what you like, what you don’t, and what your personality reveals. Ask those close to you for reflection, clarify your values, and begin aligning your life with them. In short, prioritize self-discovery and take aligned action from there.
WHAT DAILY PRACTICES HELP YOU STAY GROUNDED, INSPIRED, AND CONNECTED TO YOURSELF?
A: Walking in nature, learning something new, exercising, reading, and practicing journaling or mantra meditation.
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY NAVIGATE STRESS OR CHALLENGING MOMENTS?
A: By prioritizing self-care. My non-negotiables are sleep, healthy eating, and daily movement..
YOUR FAVORITE SPRING SNACK?
A: Avocado on rye toast, or on my husband’s sourdough bread.
BEST DECISION YOU EVER MADE IN YOUR CAREER OR PERSONAL LIFE?
A: To travel the world for an undetermined amount of time.
A BOOK OR PODCAST YOU’D RECOMMEND TO THE IIN COMMUNITY?
A: Diary of the CEO, and my own book, Food for Soul: A Couple’s Inner and Outer Journey Towards Living Fully.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY FRUIT OR VEGGIE, WHICH WOULD YOU BE—AND WHY?
A: A raspberry, because it is rich in antioxidants, has a beautiful color, and a bold flavor that is both sweet and slightly tart. It’s also one of my favorite fruits.