Hometown: I was born in St. Paul, and my family moved to Roseville when I was almost two, so I grew up in Roseville.

When did you become a member of UMRA? In 2016.

What was your very first job? Other than babysitting and a gig at the Minnesota State Fair, my first job was as a waitress at the House of Wong in Roseville. I worked there my senior year of high school and all four years of college and graduated from Hamline University debt free.

What was your occupation when you retired from FT work? I was dean of International Education at UC San Diego for six years before retiring. Prior to UCSD, I had worked at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities for 29 years. I had fun teaching German as a TA, enjoyed 19 years in CLA Advising, and then a fabulous eight years in the Learning Abroad Center as director of curriculum integration and associate director for the center.

What was the name of the first record you bought? Meet the Beatles, and I still have that LP.

If you were an Olympic athlete, what would you like your sport to be? I would love to play volleyball. That's a sport that requires teamwork, being able to anticipate what is coming, and athleticism (but not nonstop running or swimming or gymnastics), and it is great fun.

Do you have a favorite place on the U of M campus? I love the pedestrian/bike bridge that spans the Mississippi River between the East Bank and West Bank. It is a lovely walk with fabulous views of the river, campus, student life, and Minneapolis. I also really like the gardens on the St. Paul campus.

What is a fun fact about you we might not know? I was an usher (in the field hockey stadium) at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. It was an amazing experience getting to see many different athletes perform: Mark Spitz, Cathy Rigby, basketball, volleyball, biking, track and field, and lots of field hockey. I even danced with the Crown Prince of Sweden (now King Carl XVI Gustaf), though I didn't believe him when he said who he was, so I walked off the dance floor at the end of one dance. That’s where he met (now Queen) Sylvia, who was also working at the Olympics. It was also a devastating time when the Israeli athletes were kidnapped, and 11 Israelis were killed.

What is something you currently enjoy doing with your time? In addition to UMRA activities, I love spending time with family, especially my new grandson, and biking, walking, kayaking, skiing, and reading (depending on the weather).