OUR TEAM

 I was born and raised in Fort Collins Colorado

My best friend Maria!! She had told me about how it was her dream to have her own non profit helping survivors of human trafficking, so once her dream was put into motion and became a real thing I just wanted to be able to help in any way I could with ACR because Maria’s vision is righteous and I’ve always wanted to be apart of something bigger then myself

I like working out or doing any kind of physical combat training, being outside, hiking, playing handball, and handing out clothes, food or green scapulars down in Denver to the homeless 

“Always Running” by Luis J Rodriguez

Just being a little boy playing with my Spider-Man toys in the trailer in Poudre valley smelling home made tortillas being cooked .

Be a first rate version of yourself not a second rate version of somebody else.

 “Even the mightiest warriors experience fears, what makes them a true warrior is the COURAGE they posses to overcome their fears” - Vegeta

Saint Dismas because he was the only saint to be canonized by Christ himself and reminds all of us that no matter what you’ve done God loves you and will save you and forgive you if you turn to him and ask for forgiveness even in your final moment.

I am from Fort Collins, Colorado 

I knew this was Maria’s dream and I wanted to help her fulfill it. 

I believe that this non profit is extremely important. Providing education to law enforcement as well as the general public is greatly needed around human trafficking, as most people don’t think it is happening in their home cities. The networks the organization will provide to help protect victims as well as give help to survivors with leaving their abusers and giving them a space that is safe to start over.

 I love to read, run, hike, camp, backpack, ski, and do yoga. My profession is horses, so even though that is my work time it’s also my passion. If I am not doing doing the other things I just listed I am likely on the back of a horse!

I am the biggest bookworm…I have too many favorites to list. My most recent favorite though was a book I just read called Horse. I highly recommend it, but I will warn you it will make you cry. 

 My favorite memory is when I was a little girl going downstairs on my birthday and seeing my presents in the bay window in our living room. The sun was streaming in and the grass in our yard was bright green and the sky was a perfect shade of blue. It was magic. 

If you want something bad enough anything is possible. 

 "People don't chose dreams. Dreams choose people."

Saint Francis of Assisi as he is the protector of animals. Animals, especially horses, have saved me in my darkest hours.

I was born in Longbeach California, then spent most of my life in Loveland/Fort Collins. I moved to Small town Nebraska in 2004, where I met my husband, and we have lived in Nebraska ever since.  We moved to Sidney Nebraska in 2017, and are now relocating, (hopefully for the last time) to Bridgeport, which is about 40 miles north of where we are. 

 I know that sex trafficking is a much bigger problem than people think.  I have been aware of the need to educate our communities for some time now. We need to not only educate, but provide support and awareness to our small towns as well as the bigger cities. I sometimes feel like small towns are overlooked, but there is a need here as well. 

 My husband and I are foster parents and we have recently adopted our two girls from foster care. We enjoy spending time with family and friends, whether hosting get-togethers or just having movie night. I enjoy decorating my home, doing crafts and making jams and jellies. 

I really don't have time to read, however I would say the Bible is and will always be my favorite book. I look to it for guidance and for comfort. 

 It probably sounds cliche, but, the days my children were born, my wedding day, the day my grandbaby was born. Family is life for me. 

I have many other blessed memories, but those are some of the best.

 Honestly, I used to care what everyone thought of me, and I was told once, "If people don't like what you look like or what you are doing, then they don't have to look at you." That made a difference for me in my teenage years. Now that I am pushing 50 years old, I am taking the advice of many, and taking time to relax, and not feel bad about taking time for myself. 

 One of mine personally is, Sunshine in, bad things out. 

Well, I would say Blessed Mother Mary or Joan of Arc, because of their strength and love. But I would have to choose Saint Jerome Emiliani, Saint of abandoned children. I myself have had a calling to care for and protect children, so I feel a connection with him.

I'm from California.

I learned about A Courageous Rose through its founder, Maria. She has been a great friend and advocate for me throughout my healing journey. I attended one of the first boxing sessions through A Courageous Rose and really enjoyed it! I think boxing can help survivors to build confidence and strength.

 I enjoy reading, being outside, playing video games, and cooking/eating delicious food.

It's hard to choose a favorite! I like reading dark literature, self-help, and parenting books. Most recently I read the ACOTAR series, The Awakened Family, and Think Like A Monk. My favorite author since I was a teenager has been Chuck Palahniuk.

My favorite memory was when I was with my son in San Pedro. We picked up some ramen and drove around. We ended up finding Angels Gate Park! It was so beautiful and peaceful there. I still go over there sometimes when I need a break in nature.  

 Sometimes I need to be told to just chill TF out and give things time to work out on their own!! I don't think I've ever liked hearing that but in hindsight it was really good advice.

My favorite quote is part of a poem that always stuck with me. "At my back I always hear

Time's winged chariot hurrying near;

 And yonder all before us lie

Deserts of vast eternity"

Which is basically the old English way of saying YOLO. We're all gonna die anyways so make the most of life. 

I can't really think of any favorite saints. I was Athiest as a teenager until 2017 when I experienced a very synchronistic chain of events that led me to connect with and believe in a higher power. 

Born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado.  

I first learned about A Courageous Rose through Maria. After attending one of her events, I knew I  wanted to be apart of her mission! ACR is rooted around a reality that most of society likes to ignore  but yet effects millions of people. This, coupled with ACRs core values lead to me wanting to be apart  of ACR's mission.  

In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my family, traveling, and going on walks with my miniature  pony. Dancing is nice too:) 

My favorite book is C.S Lewis's The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I might on my seventh time  reading it... I don't know. You just can't go wrong with the Chronicles of Narnia.  

My favorite memory is a day spent on the lake in upper Wisconsin with my family. We played all day  together as my grandmother supplied everyone with snacks. At night we lit lanterns.  

Holy lives are built from the fragments of holy moments.  

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond  measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are  you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our  own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  – Marianne Williamson 

One of my favorite saints is Saint Theresa of Avila. Although she is known as one of the “greats”  within the church as she was a mystic who eventually became a doctor of the church, Saint Theresa  was also very human and very flawed. Her life is a striking example of how God can meek our forceful and calculated tendencies into something wonderfully extraordinary.  

In the continual rolling of our eyes and then returning to God, He forms us into something more  amazing than we could have ever been on our own.