My real job for almost a quarter of a century was helping to build a program called COMET. It’s MetEd website is the place to go if you want to learn about meteorology, climate, and so much more. As the Business Manager for COMET I helped serve the world’s forecasting, aviation, and so many more communities. Most of all it is an incredible benefit to education at all levels. While at COMET, which is part of the non-profit UCAR, I worked with government agencies, the private sector, foundations domestically as well as internationally. It was impossible to work at COMET without becoming a weather geek and with a very personal and passionate need to help people understand and combat climate change.

During those years I also published four books

• Reach Beyond the Stars
• Beyond Stars Reach
• Stars Ending
• Stars Renewal

and have more that are in the work. I write under the name Nataya and her worlds have inspired every part of my being.

In 2014, I suffered two major losses in my life. I was laid off from my job while my mum was fighting pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed in May and passed away in November. That year rocked me more than I would recognize for quite a while. I’m the introvert’s introvert and without the connections I had from work I have been struggling. While my mum was sick I couldn’t focus on writing, reading, or much that took any concentration so I turned to photography and art. Just before my mum was diagnosed I had begun to explore drawing, pastels, charcoals, and learned that my mums advice held here – you can learn to do anything if you practice, practice, practice. After she passed I decided to try painting and fell in love. I love taking a special moment for someone and turning it into a picture.

Working with the public sector I learned about the impacts of politics on our world in different ways and that has led me into a love of politics and I am an unabashed political junkie. Watching what good can come from the public/private partnership and the impact of unfocused and non-strategic cuts to the government I find great frustration with the call for small government above all.I also resist the need many conservatives feel to control what people do in their personal lives and not help them improve their lives in any way.

I’m a cat lover and have two beautiful beings who make my days better every day. Tara and Willow may be named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and they are frequent subjects of my camera and I’m happy to share photos and advice with anyone.

I’m hoping that people are interested in what I say, perhaps are interested in buying my art, reading my books and sharing their thoughts and feelings with me. I’m open to conversations of all types and am always love a good and open debate.