I was born into what could only be described as a most unusual family on Christmas Eve of 1956 in Portland, Oregon.

​

From an early age, my life was shaped by the unpredictable storms of my father's rare mental illness, psychomotor epilepsy. The violence and the chaos it brought into our home was overwhelming. To survive, I escaped into the world of theater at just ten years old. Theater became my sanctuary - a place where I could express myself, find stability, and dream beyond the walls of our home.

​

My older brother Charles, who was 12 at the time, found his own way to cope by immersing himself into the world of marine biology. Both of us were just kids, yet we managed to find paths that helped us endure and even thrive in the face of incredible challenges.

​

At  19, I packed up and moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams of acting on the national stage of television and films. Over the years I've been fortunate to work in the national TV and film industry, appearing on several ABC, CBS, and NBC network productions.