I grew up on a working ranch in rural northern California, raised by resourceful, entrepreneurial parents who taught me that how you treat people matters most.

Losing my dad when I was young left me with only three photographs of him. I learned a lesson I've carried ever since, that images are how we hold onto people, how we remember, how we grieve and how we celebrate. That loss drove me toward a camera and eventually to the Corcoran College of Art and Design, where I earned my BFA in photojournalism.

I've been in Washington, DC long enough to call it home, building a career documenting the stories and issues that shape the world. All the while trying to do it with the integrity, curiosity and respect for people that my parents instilled in me a long time ago on the ranch.

When I am not editing, I am making something with my hands. Spoon carving, embroidery, painting, paper maché, shibori and the occasional bedazzled situation.