Ever since I was five, hammering away in the backyard, I’ve been chasing a dream straight out of Sunday school: to be a carpenter like Jesus. The preaching part? It never quite took—I was better with a saw than a sermon. But the call to build? That stuck like sawdust in your boots.

Growing up in a whirlwind of family hustle, work wasn’t a chore; it was the family language. By age 10, I was knee-deep in the grit: hauling mulch for my brother’s landscaping crew, wrangling toddlers at my parents’ daycare, dumping loads for their trash-hauling rig, and dishing up feasts with Grandma for every church gathering from baptisms to send-offs. Entrepreneurs through and through, my folks taught me that real value comes from rolling up your sleeves and delivering—no excuses, no shortcuts.

Fast-forward to my early 20s, and I dove headfirst into remodeling construction. For the past two decades, I’ve poured my soul into every corner of residential building: digging foundations from scratch, framing skeletons that stand tall against Iowa winds, and cladding homes in siding that weathers any storm. Sure, I’ve taken a few detours into manufacturing—side quests that sharpened my eye for precision—but construction’s always been my North Star. Lately, I’ve been channeling that hands-on fire into leading teams of pros, guiding equipment operators through complex sites with the kind of steady hand that turns chaos into craftsmanship.

What keeps the spark alive? I’m a maker at heart, the kind a sharp-eyed six-year-old girl once dubbed “The Maker” after watching me coax life from scraps of lumber. Woodworking isn’t just a hobby—it’s my weekend therapy, where a quiet garage becomes a canvas for heirlooms and custom shelves that tell stories. I love sharing that joy with my kids, too; we’re knee-deep in 3D printing wild gadgets and tinkering with basic electronics, sparking their own “aha” moments over circuit boards and prototypes. And, true to form, I’m a lifelong learner, bouncing from quantum curiosities to sustainable building hacks—whatever lights the fuse of curiosity.

At Build Des Moines, I live by a creed that echoes Mike Rowe’s S.W.E.A.T. Pledge: Skill & Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo. It’s the philosophy that hard work, grit, and respect for the craft aren’t relics—they’re rocket fuel for building not just structures, but legacies. Whether we’re excavating dreams or framing futures, I pledge to sweat the details, embrace the grind, and remind every client: The best builds start with heart, hammer in hand.

Ready to break ground? Let’s make something extraordinary—together