Hello

My Story

I was born in Brooklyn on October 29, 1953. My mother was born in New Rochelle, and my father was born in Poland. I have two siblings; neither can donate a kidney, and my mom is celebrating her 96th birthday in August. I spent my childhood in a family home on Long Island. My mother moved out several years after my father died. Now, she, my sister, and I all live in Manhattan.

​

I was an avid reader for most of my life, devouring science fiction, fantasy, and historical novels. As a child, I preferred animals to humans. That may still be the case. When I moved into the city after college, I continued keeping animal companions. I have had many pets over the years, including cats, turtles, guinea pigs, flocks of parakeets, and many aquariums, including a saltwater reef tank and discus tank. You can see photos of some of my pets on the ANIMAL COMPANIONS page.

​

I worked in a family business for many years, exporting textiles and other goods to South America. I wanted to spread my wings and started with another company that traded with China, Hungary, and Japan. I began attending Stern School of Business, NYU, at night and received an MBA in finance and international business. Upon graduating, I was hired by Smith Barny and worked as a Junk Bond trader for a year. It was pretty enlightening and a profession I did not want to pursue. For the following years, I worked in development as a major gifts fundraiser for many fine organizations, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Red Cross of Greater New York, and the Lighthouse for the Blind.   

​

When I turned 60, I decided to return to school. I applied to Hunter College for a post-graduate degree in GIS, Geographic Information Systems, the precursor to GPS, spatial analysis, and computerized cartography. From there grew a love of geography, a master's degree, and now I am pursuing a Ph.D. I am ABD, all but dissertation. I hope to finish my Ph.D. You can see more about my academic interests on the page ACADEMICS. 

​

I have traveled extensively over the years. When working in import-export, I spent three months of the year traveling throughout South America. I started scuba diving when I was 30 and visited many islands in the Caribbean. I have traveled to London and Copenhagen many times and also visited Paris and many cities in China. As I write this today, July 4th, 2023, I am sitting in the Delta Lounge at Kennedy Airport, beginning a 3-week vacation to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

Once I go on dialysis, am on a transplant list for a cadaver kidney, or, if fortunate enough to have a new kidney, I must stay home. So, I am traveling while I can. There is also a page about TRAVEL.​

​

Thank you,

Joy