About Diana

I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as the youngest of 3 siblings. My family was not native to Louisiana, moving there from the Northeast when I was 4 years old. We never really settled into being truly “from Louisiana” and growing up in an environment that didn’t often match our family culture was difficult. But to this day, I still get giddy about eating Cajun cuisine and really love crawfish and boudin.

I often got in trouble for talking too much. I just wanted to connect with people. Coming from an academics-focused family, I always had more of an interest in people and social dynamics than anything else going on in a classroom, so it made sense when I knew early on that I wanted to be a therapist and social worker. My joy is to connect with others, make them feel seen, and know who they are.

I am Jewish and growing up in the Deep South meant I was doing the dance between trying to blend in while also honoring my cultural identity. Sometimes this looked like hiding my Jewishness and keeping secrets to avoid being seen as different. Other times I was proudly writing friends’ names in Hebrew and educating others on what being Jewish meant to me. I know what it’s like to feel torn between two worlds and wanting to be accepted by both.

I found Jewish summer camp to be a safe haven. I remember my first summer at camp at age 10, looking around and being in awe that everyone in the space was Jewish and I could finally relax and belong. I found amazing role models during these years and they inspired me to work with teens when I started my career. I personally know the healing power of having a caring safe adult in your corner.  Camp and my love for connecting with people translated into my pursuit of a helping profession to support young minds navigating life’s challenges, especially for those who felt they did not fit in.