I am not a musician, and I don’t try to be. The musical language always belongs to you, the artist. My role in this work is not to author or interpret your music, but to listen carefully, learn what you are expressing, and help meaning travel into English without losing your authentic voice or emotional power.
I was born in England, but at the age of three I was sent to Jersey in the Channel Islands, where I was placed in the care of French Catholic nuns and grew up speaking French. Around me were many other voices: local farmers speaking Jèrriais – Jersey French – alongside the Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Greek voices of immigrant families. Despite having no family ties and never quite being “from” anywhere, I encountered great kindness on the island. That early immersion in layered languages and partial belonging shaped my sensitivity to how meaning lives in voice, tone, and context—not just in words.
At nineteen, I left Jersey and arrived alone in London, not quite English either. There, I encountered another welcoming community through work: Ugandan Asians expelled under Idi Amin, who opened their homes and lives to me. Again and again, I found myself at cultural crossroads—learning how much care, attention, and humility it takes to truly understand one another across difference.
I later studied sociology and philosophy, drawn to approaches that emphasize careful observation over assumption. My academic formation trained me to notice what we take for granted in everyday life, to understand how meaning is socially and culturally shaped, and to resist the urge to impose interpretation where listening is required. These ways of seeing—reflexive, contextual, and grounded—continue to inform how I approach language and translation.
Professionally, my work has taken many forms, from teaching English to adults in different cultural settings, to developing educational materials, to collaborating on complex projects in publishing, analytics, and digital environments. Across these roles, I have worked closely with diverse teams, navigated cultural and institutional differences, and learned how clarity, respect, and thoughtful communication make collaboration possible. Alongside this, I have also worked pro bono with nonprofit organizations, supporting leadership teams in strategic reflection and planning.
Throughout all of these experiences, a consistent thread has remained. I have often felt like an outsider, while also feeling most at home in places where cultures meet. My enduring interests are human culture, the transmission of knowledge, and the stories carried through language. I am especially drawn to the spaces where culture, philosophy, psychology, and history intersect—and where art gives voice to what cannot easily be said. My personal path includes meditation, spirituality, and a lifelong search for connection across difference.
I continue this work from a place of curiosity and gratitude, with deep respect for the diverse human voices that shape—and continue to shape—our shared story.