What's a Name
Borrowed from Finnish, SISU draws from a deep well of determination. It is a quiet reserve rooted in purpose - a mindset of deep resolve and resilience in the face of challenges.SISU sees opportunity where others see obstacles.As the Environmental Committee, SISU guides our work. Informed by research we expand our perspectives, examine our assumptions and shape strategy focused on actionable solutions that contribute to environmental sustainability. We are not just raising awareness, we are shaping outcomes.We see the natural world not as a resource to be mined and managed, but as a member of our shared community - worthy of care, protection, and thoughtful partnership.Sustainability is not a goal, it is our responsibility.SISU 🛟
Our meaning, mission, and values
why I am here
Moving the needle isn't easy
Why ? Because it demands change - and change is hard.During my career in hospitality, I gained firsthand experience with the challenges of leading a team in a new direction. No matter how sound the reasoning or how promising the outcomes, change asks us to step out of the familiar and into the unknown - and that is scary.Change compels us to confront the possibility that our biases aren't the whole story. It asks us to loosen our grip on old habits that tether us to a status quo that may no longer serve us.Remember the movie Airplane ? Imagine you are a passenger on that flight...and it crashes onto the Titanic. That was the world I inhabited when the pandemic hit: part farce, part tragedy and I got soaking wet.The North Atlantic Sea is dark and stormy but I was one of the lucky ones, I had a life boat - and that life boat carried me to a shore where I experienced how change is possible.The full story doesn't fit here but the formula for change does.It starts with intention
It moves with a mission
And it grows with outcomes
About My Work
The hospitality industry is far more than food and service -
it is mirror, reflecting the economic, environmental, and social structures that shape our lives.
After more than twenty years in the field, I came to see how a restaurant is a microcosm of society, revealing both its strengths and its flaws. From this vantage point, I witnessed the systemic dysfunctions that slow progress, and the formidable challenges of changing course.In 2019, I closed my business-shaped, in part, by vulnerabilities the pandemic made impossible to ignore. And in the fall of 2021, at MAD Academy's Leadership Program in Copenhagen I experienced the quiet transformative power of showing vs telling.Today, I bring that those experiences to our community. The choices we make as neighbors ripple outward. Together, we can show what a sustainable future looks like, starting here at home.
Professional experience
Owner | The Daily in the Pearl - Portland, Oregon | 2010-2020
Managed a community-focused café featuring locally sourced, seasonal menus. Collaborated with James Beard Award-winning baker, Kim Boyce to launch her wholesale baking business.Front of House Manager | The Daily in the Pearl | 2001 - 2010
Recruited and developed a skilled, cohesive team. Strengthened collaboration between front and back-of-house operations.Event Planner | Food in Bloom Catering | 1996 - 2001
Managed planning, logistics, and staffing for high-profile events for clients including NIKE, Intel, and Nordstrom. Delivered exceptional service and build lasting client relations.Service & Event Assistant | Jamey's Restaurant & Enoteca, Manayunk, PA \ 1986 - 1989
Supported culinary events with renowned chefs Edna Lewis and Nancy Silverton during THE BOOK and THE COOK. Developed an enduring appreciation for food as cultural storytellingVolunteer ExperienceRegret Leader | Body Vox Dance Ensemble
*Designed and led a leadership retreat, resulting in renewed clarity and stronger audience engagement.Events Committee Member
*Planned fundraising events for arts organizations, selecting vendors by mission alignment and budget.Community Organizer
*Coordinated a neighborhood forum on Portland's city charter reform, partnering with local leadership to foster civic dialogue.Founder, HOA Review Committee | 937 Condominiums
*established a resident committee that successfully transitioned to a new property management team, improving homeowner engagement.