I was born in a speeding Volkswagen Beetle on its way to the hospital. No kidding! For me, life began as an adventure and it continues to be an adventure. I seek out new experiences and savor good food, fun, and laughter. I am easy-going, calm and down-to-earth, yet can become quite vivacious when I am pursuing something that I enjoy. I am very analytical, but I balance my inner nerd with a whimsical sense of humor. I’m definitely an introvert; I relate well to others and I’m an excellent listener. I’ve been told that I am intuitive, empathic, objective, fair, and that I can be trusted to keep a confidence. I like to be active. I don’t consider myself athletic, but I don’t let that stop me from participating in lots of activities. I may be slow, but I still go!
The values that motivate me most are: personal freedom/autonomy, adventure, pleasure/fun, honesty/integrity, and personal development. I strive to design and live my life in alignment with these values; this is a work in progress.
A close friend once commented: “Joanne, you prefer to collect experiences rather than things.” Here’s a sampling from my collection of experiences:
- Learning to pilot a plane, and attaining private pilot certificate with instrument rating
- Sky-diving (twice) with a tandem instructor
- Viewing the grandeur of the Grand Canyon by rafting down the Colorado River
- Camping for my first time ever on that same river trip
- Jogging in the Bay to Breakers (7K fun run) dressed as a cow
- Training for and finishing my first triathlon
- Cycling in my first century (100 miles) bike ride
- Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef
- Zip-lining in Costa Rica
- Hiking/trekking along the Great Wall of China
I have more hobbies and interests than I can count. Some of these I have already explored and others are yet to be explored (I have a very long what-to-do-in-my spare-time list). Here they are, in no particular order:
I’ve recently begun coaching as a profession, although like most coaches, I’ve realized that I have been coaching informally most of my adult life. Before I recognized my true calling, I spent over 20 years as a biostatistician in the pharma/biotech industry. My educational background includes a master’s degree in Sociology and a second master’s degree in Statistics, both from Stanford University. I am a proud graduate of the Certified Professional Coach Program at International Coach Academy, an ICF-accredited program. I hold the CPC designation.
