Let’s start from the beginning! Tell us a little about the journey that led you to where you are now.

I’ve always loved tea. When I was young, it was always a gesture of comfort and care — when I was home sick from school, or on cold weather days, my mom would always make me a cup of tea. That connection deepened when I moved to Scotland for college. Those four years taught me that tea could be a part of daily life and a way of bringing people together. Later, when I moved to New York and began my corporate career, I discovered a tea sommelier certification program and dove in as a fun hobby. That training gave me both the structure of tradition and the freedom to experiment, and eventually led me to create Forgrave as a way to share blends that carry both heritage and creativity.

How would you describe the relationship between time-honored traditions and innovation in your work? How do you balance it all to create teas that respect tradition while embracing thoughtful evolution?

Tea is about as traditional as it gets – one of the world’s oldest rituals of gathering, comfort, and reflection. My work begins with that foundation, but I see so much opportunity to reinterpret it through a more sensory, fragrant, and design-driven lens, while honoring the beauty and integrity of the product at its core. In many ways, tea is a great unifier – so many cultures have a rich history and approach to tea, from Asia to European tea traditions, with use for medicine, ceremony, and beyond. Out of respect for tea’s heritage and care for those consuming it today, we take a meticulous approach to sourcing and steeping. We seek to innovate through unique blends that truly highlight the flavor of each element, creating new sensory memories and experiences for our community.

When people experience Forgrave – both the brand and your blends – what feelings or memories do you hope linger with them?

We hope Forgrave can be a vehicle for new sensory experiences, connections, and memories. The art of sitting down, having a cup of tea, whether it’s to power oneself through the day, slow down to take a moment of reflection, or consumed in the presence of friends, family, and loved ones, is ultimately all about connection, and these connections get reinforced through the fragrance and flavors. Everyone has a different purpose in their consumption, but we hope feelings of discovery, memory, comfort, connection, and care come to life through our teas.

Tell us what a typical day-in-the-life looks like for you.

Morning is me time, then family time – I wake up before my 7-month old daughter, Nancy, to walk the dogs. I am a loyal Morning Pages devotee so after I walk the dogs I’ll sit with a cup of coffee (there’s room for both in life!) and write for a little bit. Then once Nancy wakes up, the rest of the morning is spent playing with her before I dive into work.

To shift into work mode, I make myself a black tea – I love our Boy’s Club breakfast blend – and then I work on Forgrave all day. I have an amazing team, but as an independently founded and run brand, I am across every element of the business – from product development, to creative, to operations, and everything in between. It’s a real labor of love!

In the late afternoon, I shift back to mom mode. Evening wind down begins with bath time and then bedtime for Nancy, and then I’ll make myself some herbal tea (I love our Mint Mantra) and catch up with my husband as soon as he’s back from the office. Before bed I either read (right now I’m deep in a journey of musician memoirs… if you’d care to join me then start with Just Kids and take it from there!) – or watch whatever is buzzy at the moment.

In a world that often feels rushed, your work encourages people to slow down. How do you make space for calm, creativity, and connection in your own life?

I shape my day (as much as possible as a working mom!) by seeking calm, creativity, and connection as much as possible. Even in a chaotic day and world, it’s there… it’s just up to us to find and feel rooted in these moments.

I spend my morning writing before Nancy wakes up…a way to ground the start to my day with a sense of calm. As cliche as it may sound, blending tea really is a creative outlet for me, and it’s often therapeutic to get into the flow of ideating new combinations and testing new blends! Playtime with Nancy feels like a creative exercise (it’s really about mindset and looking for and embracing it!) – I’m constantly having to pull new games and entertainment out of thin air to keep her stimulated. Makes me feel like a child all over again in a way!

My favorite way to connect is to go on walks – either with loved ones, or talking to loved ones on the phone. I live between downtown NYC, East Hampton, and Dallas – the distinct scenery and routes of each place creates a special connection. When life gets busy and crazy, a tea break in the middle of the day offers a usually much needed moment of pause and appreciation. Finally, at the end of the day, I love to unwind with a good book. My friends and I are always recommending books to each other so I find reading alongside them to be a fun way to stay connected, too.

What are your favorite rituals around tea and sharing it with others?

Sharing tea is one of my favorite ways to spend time with the people I love. Either grabbing tea to go and heading out for a long walk, or sitting together over a pot of tea and catching up on life – it’s a connector, and the multi-sensory experience creates memories and nourishes me in a way that transcends beyond just that instance. It’s very nostalgic in that way.

Also, I love that the act of making tea forces pause. You can’t rush the steeping process. Whenever you make a cup of tea, you have to wait those several minutes in order to enjoy it. In a world of instant gratification, I really appreciate being made to wait – even if only for a few minutes.

Tea has been long celebrated for its healing qualities — not just physically, but emotionally too. What can you share about the connection between tea and well-being?

What’s next for you? How do you hope to see the impact of your work take form?

Forgrave newly launched this year, so I’m excited to keep growing the brand and inviting more people to discover the beauty of tea and the connections it creates. Already, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with incredible chefs, artists, and creatives, and I see endless opportunities to deepen and expand those relationships. Blending teas is both an art form and a craft for me, and what excites me most is exploring how tea can live alongside other disciplines – bringing the art of tea into conversation with other art forms.

Favorite flavor combination this winter?

Maybe it’s the Texan in me, but I love spice – across all forms. For me this winter that means warming spices, like cinnamon, ginger, and clove. Kindling (our version of a chai) will be my holiday go-to.

How do you take your tea?

I take it as-is, with good company.

Morning person or night owl?

Thanks to new motherhood, I’m now an early riser – reluctantly!

After a long day, what tea are you sipping to wind down?

Anything herbal – preferably a blend of mint and chamomile like you can find in our Mint Mantra.

One product that’s always in your bag?

A Smythson notebook and a BIC pen. But, can I name one more? I also like to carry our Glass Cigar with me on the go… you never know when you might need an emergency tea. I carry it around pre-loaded with a single serving of one of our teas to enjoy on the go. Just add hot water!