About Me

One of my earliest memories is standing on a little wooden stool beside my Granny after our weekly family lunches.

I couldn't have been more than four or five years old. Before she filled the sink with warm, soapy water, she'd pull that stool over so I could reach. She'd roll up my sleeves above my elbows, hand me a worn dish towel, and together we'd wash the dishes.

She certainly didn't need my help. I was little, slow, and probably made the job take twice as long. But she never made me feel like I was in the way.

She made room for me.

Looking back, I don't think she was teaching me how to wash dishes. Even in her stoic German way, she was teaching me what hospitality feels like.

It isn't just opening your home or putting good food on the table. It's inviting someone in. It's trusting them enough to pull up a chair — or, in my case, a little wooden stool — and making them feel like they belong.

I don't remember what we ate at those lunches.

I remember standing beside her.

I remember our giggles.

I remember feeling like I could do big things.

And I think, all these years later, that's the feeling I'm still chasing.

The Gathered Board started with a table I created for people I love. I discovered that what I enjoyed most wasn't simply arranging beautiful food — it was creating a place where people naturally gathered. One celebration led to another, and before long I was creating spreads for showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and all kinds of meaningful occasions.

Of course I care about how a table looks. I genuinely love choosing colors, layering textures, and finding just the right balance of flavors. But beautiful food has never been the whole point.

I hope people remember laughing with old friends, meeting new ones, celebrating something worth celebrating, and reaching for one more bite while telling one more story.

Every gathering I create starts the same way: with the people. I want to know who's coming, what you're celebrating, and how you want everyone to feel when they walk into the room. From there, we'll create something that's beautiful, delicious, and uniquely yours.

Because the best gatherings aren't remembered for what was on the table.

They're remembered for who gathered around it.