My grandmother gave me a love of books.  One of my most enjoyable memories of childhood was Saturday afternoons when my grandmother would, light the fire and I would sit on her lap, my head on her shoulder.  She would have a book in one hand and I’d have a book in the other, there wasn’t another place in the world I’d rather be than on my grandmothers lap.  

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I became questioning and curious, a bit of a rebel when teased determined to stick up for myself.  I was fortunate to have a grandmother who understood me, shared her life and gave me a rich understanding of respect and grace.     

At 14-yrs I read To Kill a Mocking Bird and it had a deep effect on my view of human rights.  By 16-yrs I had become a fierce advocate for Amnesty International.  

Throughout my working career I have always thought “I will not just talk the talk but walk the walk”.