When I was a kid, I thought my birthplace sounded like a make-believe place straight out of a fairy tale. I loved telling people I was born in Sugarland, Texas! Little did I know that Sugarland was a suburb of Houston, and that I would live just a few hours away as an adult.

I grew up in Simpsonville SC, and with most of my mom’s family just a short car ride away in Columbia, SC, I was destined to be a University of South Carolina Gamecock.

I met my husband at USC. The real USC… a university before California even became a state. I went to college during the bicentennial celebration, so I was inundated with USC history.

I also came across my other lifelong love in college, finance. During my senior year, I took a personal finance class where the textbook was Making the Most of Your Money by Jane Bryant Quinn. I still have this book, although it is tucked away in a closet. This is when I discovered that compounding interest was the most wonderful thing! I promptly let my parents know that for a college graduation gift, I wanted an IRA! Well, I did not get that IRA that I wanted so badly because I graduated just months after 9/11/2001 and learned my first lesson in market volatility. I signed up for my first 401k at work as quickly as I could hoping that starting young would help me in my savings journey.

Ready to start a new adventure, my husband and I packed up after graduation in 2002 and made the voyage to Austin, Texas. We have made the great city of Austin our home with our two dogs and an African spurred tortoise, named Buddy.

After living in Austin for a few years, I finished my MBA at St. Edward’s University with a concentration in finance in 2007. My career has taken many twists and turns on its way to the retirement plan and financial services industry. After becoming a retirement plan specialist while working at Austin Financial Partners in 2011, I was hooked on employer-sponsored plans. I knew I had found my passion. I have broad experience working on all types of retirement plans from the micro-market to the mega-market, from private employer plans to public pensions. Each experience has broadened my horizons and allows me to bring new perspectives to each new project I tackle for clients.

In September 2018, I joined the SRP Austin Office. The team is more like an extended family without the awkward holiday dinners, constantly providing its professional dedication and support to its clients and staff alike.

When I am not working, you can find me at home either reading, working in the yard, exercising, or in general busy-bodying around the house (my unofficial nickname at home is BB for busy body). Don’t let my homebody tendencies fool you… I love to travel! I am constantly planning and searching for the next adventure and opportunity to explore. My husband and I are expert road trippers. Name a state in the lower 48, and I have probably driven there! I am not bound by the car; my goal is to reach all the continents on earth, and so far I have traveled to 4 out of 7 with South America, Antarctica and Australia left to visit. I have been lucky to enjoy the journey so far, and I’m looking forward to life’s adventures ahead!