My Journey

Writer. Lawyer. Teacher. Mother. Cancer survivor. Adventure seeker. Work in progress.

I grew up in a small town. Robinson, Illinois, population 6,800, birthplace of the Heath Bar, home of James Jones and the inspiration of Some Came Running. I am the daughter of a third generation newspaper publisher, who was a talented writer and a gifted and dynamic storyteller. And my hero.

“In retrospect, it was likely inevitable that I would become a storyteller too.”

I graduated from Indiana University with a degree in English. I wanted to be a writer. However, like a lot of writers who also want to pay rent, I went to law school instead. Three years later I graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University College of Law and embarked on a rewarding legal career practicing intellectual property law at two large Chicago-based law firms. My clients included an array of individuals and companies, including musicians, actors, writers, filmmakers, web designers, app developers, theaters, doctors, universities, restaurants, manufacturers, start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and many more. I have assisted clients in all aspects of trademark and copyright prosecution, licensing and enforcement and in intellectual property litigation. It was a career rife with interesting people doing interesting things.

I worked hard. I billed hours. I had two amazing kids. Thirteen years later, however, the desire to write was unrelenting. So I finally decided to follow my seemingly impossible dream of becoming a screenwriter in earnest. As they say, better late than never.

Lawyer by day, student by night, mother at all times, I steadily worked my way through the screenwriting program at DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts and secured my MFA in screenwriting with distinction. My script, PLAIN JANE, won the Cassian Elwes Independent Screenwriting Fellowship, and my script CONCEIVING CHRISTINA was a finalist in the StoryPros International Screenwriting Competition. I write stories that celebrate and promote diverse female voices and perspectives. Nora Ephron once said “I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are.” Amen, sister.

I am now a full time writer and proudly teach the craft of screenwriting and entertainment law at my alma mater. You might think it a strange transition from lawyer to screenwriter, but in fact the practice of law and the craft of screenwriting share core similarities. Lawsuits and movies are both, in essence, complex stories told from different perspectives. Stories about people that want something badly and are having a hard time getting it. Stories with conflict and obstacles. The writing skills necessary to be an effective lawyer – preparation, organization, structure, persuasion and revision – are transferrable to screenwriting.

“In screenwriting, as in law, the stronger the writer, the better the story.”

My legal experience allows me to bring a unique perspective to my classroom at DePaul University's School of Cinematic Arts, as I understand both the right brain and left brain challenges that screenwriters face. I love helping my students dig deep to find and develop fresh, entertaining, meaningful stories, teaching them how to lasso and craft their stories effectively with preparation, organization and structure, and assisting them in developing a repeatable process that can lead to success in the industry. I have also developed an Entertainment Law for Film Producers class, which allows me to combine my skill sets in the classroom and teach creatives how to be business savvy in their filmmaking endeavors.

Check out my classes here.

Featured in the Hollywood Reporter here.

In 2024, in an existential gut punch, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 IDC breast cancer. Following 6 rounds of chemotherapy (and yes, total hair loss), a double mastectomy, an unwelcome discovery that bumped my staging to stage 3, and 19 rounds of radiation, I’m still fighting the good fight with ongoing low dose chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and hormone suppression drugs. This twist of fate has been my greatest challenge yet, but it also led me on an unexpected and extraordinary personal, health and spiritual journey and the discovery of an remarkably brave and supportive cancer community. I now endeavor to share my story and experience with other cancer survivors and thrivers to help them navigate their own journeys through this disease.

When I'm not writing, teaching or collaborating on creative projects, my hobbies include reading, cooking, traveling, concerts, yoga, rowing, and cheering on my kids at lacrosse and football games, dance recitals, and golf tournaments. I also spend a lot of time encouraging my students to follow their dreams out of the shoot, and helping them find practical ways of making their dream their job.