In 2011, I gathered my extraordinary colleagues and founded Ripple Effect Images, to document programs that empower women and girls globally. Using the award-winning images and films created for them, Ripple’s aid beneficiaries raised more than 10 million dollars to expand their work.

Now a mother and grandmother, I have returned to my first love—writing. I share my quirky, midwestern perspective in my weekly Substack newsletter, You’re Not That Nice.

I hope to publish my memoir, Available Light in 2025

At age 25, when I was plucked from nowhere and given a dream job as one of the first women photographers at National Geographic, I found my footing in a career that would take me to more than 100 countries.  Most importantly, I was given access to stories rarely told because, in a male dominated industry, I got to be with the girls. My decades working with women globally gifted me with a singular view of the world and the women who keep it turning.