Age: 29
Hometown: Sunnyvale, Calif.
Current residence: Marina Del Rey, Calif.
Occupation: Cyber security sales
Favorite hobbies: Cooking, oil painting, golfing
3 words to describe you: Self-sufficient, resourceful, witty
Pet peeve(s): When people walk slowly right in front of you, when you open the door for someone and they don't say thank you, when people are passive-aggressive.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? My parents let me borrow their 20-year-old Lexus SUV a few years back, and I immediately ran the passenger side door into a 4' tall concrete pole by making a sharp right turn and not seeing it in my blind spot. To fix the destroyed door would have cost more money than the car was worth, so I looked at websites of a few junkyards, found [one] that had a 2000 gold Lexus LX470, bargained it down from $750 to $400, and installed the new door on Thanksgiving day. Aside from the passenger window now being tinted, it was like the accident never happened!
What is something we would never know from looking at you? I think a lot of people think I'm an un-athletic girly girl, but my dad raised me to be the son he never had. I grew up racing dirt bikes and going to fishing derbies. And at my high school's traditional junior vs. senior girls powderpuff football game, I put a girl in a headlock and tackled her to the ground. (There's photo evidence.)
Who is your hero and why? Easy – my dad. He's the reason I'm athletic, resourceful, and driven. He decided to be the parent to me and my sister that he never had. He's the best -- so supportive, and he never lets a day go by without telling us he loves us. He's the reason I'm in tech sales; I always wanted to be just like him when I grew up.
Which past Survivor will you play the game most like? Either Kelley Wentworth or Joe Anglim. Joe was obviously an insane competitor at the individual challenges, but he also proved himself to be a necessary part of the tribe with how resourceful he was. Both were generally likable people to their tribes. It's necessary to perform things like blindsides in order to keep yourself in the game, but I think Kelley and Joe both played in a lawful-enough way that wasn't anywhere near as manipulative as other people like Sandra or Tony.
Why do you believe you can be the Sole Survivor? In sales I have to outwit people every day. It helps having a high EQ, and I've always been way more emotionally intelligent than book smart. That's a huge attribute when interacting with other tribe members. Having a psychology degree and being in sales gives me great people skills; put me in a room of strangers and we'll leave as friends. I'm good at connecting with people and making them feel comfortable enough to trust me, which is key in a game like SURVIVOR. I'm a strong competitor. Don't judge me by my size! I will never give up on something that I want; I'm that stubborn and I do not like losing.
