Real estate is about property. Good service is about people.

I’m honest, approachable and available when my clients need me. Whether you’re buying or selling in the Comox Valley, or Gulf Islands my goal is to make the process feel clear, well planned and genuinely supported.

My path to real estate hasn’t been a conventional one. I’ve worked as a house painter, hairstylist, City Councillor, advocate, death doula and entrepreneur. Each of those roles taught me something that I now bring to my work in real estate: how to listen, how to see potential, how to solve problems, how to communicate clearly and how to support people when life is changing.

A lifelong interest in homes

My first job, at 15, was painting houses with Oliver Clark here in Courtenay. It was where I first developed my love of houses.

I’m still fascinated by the variety of homes in the Comox Valley — their layouts, histories, quirks, renovations and possibilities. I also love that everyone has a different idea of what makes a home right. Helping someone identify their version of “perfect” and then finding their home one of the most satisfying parts of real estate for me.

My early experience working in the trades also influences the way I look at properties today and helps me communicate comfortably with contractors and other tradespeople when clients need additional expertise.

Learning to listen

I spent more than a decade working as a hairstylist. Hairdressing is an unusual combination of technical skill, style, trust and communication, and it taught me an enormous amount about working with people.

I completed part of my training in the United Kingdom, where I had the opportunity to learn from some exceptionally talented stylists. After living in England for four years, I returned home to Courtenay and continued my career here.

Those years taught me the value of listening carefully, following a client’s direction, asking the right questions and delivering a high level of customer service. Those skills have stayed with me throughout every career that followed.

I retired from hairdressing in 2013 because of chronic foot pain, which unexpectedly opened the door to an entirely different chapter of my life.

Serving my community

From 2014 to 2018, I had the great honour of serving as a City Councillor in Courtenay.

That experience gave me valuable insight into local government, community planning and the many decisions that shape how communities grow and change. More importantly, I had the opportunity to meet and work with people from all walks of life.

Serving my hometown was fascinating, challenging and deeply rewarding. It strengthened my ability to look at complicated issues from different perspectives, ask difficult questions and advocate for the people I represented.

When life changes unexpectedly

In 2016, while serving on Council, I was diagnosed with cancer.

It changed my perspective on life and gave me a much deeper understanding of what it feels like when the future you expected suddenly becomes uncertain.

At the time, many of my friends were having babies while I was going to medical appointments and having conversations about life in five-year increments. I wanted a place where younger people living with cancer could speak openly about what was happening to them, so I started a peer-support group for people under 45.

The response was so significant that I later helped create another group for people of all ages.

Those experiences taught me a great deal about uncertainty, grief, resilience and the importance of simply having someone beside you who is prepared to listen. People facing major changes often have complicated practical decisions to make at the same time they are processing enormous emotions.

That understanding continues to influence the way I work with people today.

Coming home to the Comox Valley

After recovering from cancer, I decided not to seek another term on Council and focused on rebuilding my health and life.

In 2018, my husband and I moved to Port Alberni to be closer to his work. We welcomed our first son there, and in 2021, while expecting our second, we returned to the Comox Valley to be closer to family, friends and the community that has always felt like home.

Advocacy, entrepreneurship and practical problem-solving

From 2020 to 2024, I worked as a student advocate with the North Island Students’ Union. I helped students navigate complicated situations, understand their options and access practical support.

That role strengthened one of the skills I value most: taking information that feels overwhelming and helping someone understand what actually matters and what they can do next.

I’m also the founder of Boogie Boots, a local children’s footwear business. Building a business from the ground up taught me about product development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, finances, problem-solving and customer care — along with the realities of running a small business in British Columbia.

Community involvement continues to be important to me. I’ve helped organize and facilitate local fundraisers, and since 2025 I have served on the board of the Comox Valley Head Injury Society. Outside of work, I enjoy singing in a choir, walking, gardening and spending time with friends and family. My two young boys keep me laughing and active, and we are fortunate to live where we do for exploring nature with picnics and adventure.

Bringing it all into real estate

Today, I bring all of those experiences together as a real estate agent serving the Comox Valley, Hornby Island, Denman Island and neighbouring Gulf Islands.

Sometimes real estate is exciting: a first home, a growing family, a move to Vancouver Island or finally finding the property you’ve been imagining.

Sometimes it comes during a much more complicated chapter: downsizing, selling a longtime family home, managing an estate, relocating unexpectedly or navigating a significant life change.

Either way, my approach is the same.

I listen carefully. I explain things clearly. I prepare thoroughly. I don’t believe in pressuring people into decisions that aren’t right for them.

And I understand that behind every real estate transaction is a person trying to figure out what comes next.