About Me
I’m a certified coach, academic, international migration expert and mentor who helps clients navigate international relocation, career transitions and academic pathways with clarity and confidence.
I’ve spent nearly 30 years living and working in Europe. Originally from a small town in Western Massachusetts, my first move abroad came early. Living in Germany as a child while my father was on sabbatical, I picked up near-native fluency in German. I later returned for PhD research in Berlin in 1996. Just before I was due to leave, I met a German man, and we’ve now been married for over 25 years and live in Brussels, where we raised our children in a multilingual, cross-cultural environment. Like me, they have also spent time in both the US and Europe – an experience that gives me particular insight into the challenges and opportunities families face when relocating with children.
My academic background includes an AB from Harvard and a PhD in Government and an MA in German and European Studies from Georgetown. For nearly 20 years, I directed the MA program in International Migration at the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies. I’ve taught in the US, Austria, Germany, the UK, and Belgium, and I’ve supervised more than 300 master’s students and nearly 20 PhD students to completion.
I certified as a coach and founded my coaching and mentoring practice when my university closed its Brussels campus due to financial cuts. Today, drawing on my personal experience and professional expertise, I support clients facing big life transitions – whether moving overseas, rethinking their careers, or considering graduate study. I’m especially experienced in working with Americans moving abroad, and I provide a unique blend of coaching, academic insight, and first-hand understanding of what it means to build a life across borders.
My book, Migrants or Expatriates? Americans in Europe, draws on years of research and lived experience. The Washington Post called me “the leading authority on Americans abroad,” and I’ve advised institutions like the White House Office of Public Engagement on overseas American issues. My work has also been featured on NPR and in USA Today.
Outside of work, I’m a frequent hiker, PADI Divemaster, and Arctic enthusiast. I've trekked the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland, gone winter camping in northern Norway, and even spent six months working on a sled dog farm in Finnish Lapland.
Clients describe me as easy to talk to and deeply supportive. I’ve been where you are – navigating change, uncertainty, and reinvention. I'm here to help you move forward.