I grew up with the sounds of peacocks, the scent of popcorn from the snack bar, and listening to tour guides spin stories about earthquakes and ancient fossils. Wonder World wasn’t just a park—it was my childhood.

Some of my earliest memories are working late nights pricing souvenirs with my mom and preparing for the park's busier times like Spring Break and summers.  I started working in the snack bar at fourteen selling cotton candy and hotdogs.

After high school, I attended Texas State University, right here in San Marcos. I studied Human Resources, drawn to the people side of business. I wanted to understand what made teams work, how to build culture, and how to lead with empathy. I graduated and built a career in HR.  I loved helping people find their place, their purpose. Then came the call.

My parents, after decades of running the park after they took over operations from my grandparents who bought the property in 1958, had decided it was time to sell. Wonder World, the place that built me, was headed for the market. I felt a deep pull, something more than nostalgia. It was legacy. Family. Community. It was a park that had welcomed guests for over a century, and I couldn’t let it slip away. So, in 2017, I came home.

Transitioning from working in local government into tourism, I stepped back into the park with a new set of tools: leadership, strategy, and a heart full of memories. I saw everything with fresh eyes—opportunities to grow, ways to innovate, and new stories to tell. But I also held on tight to what mattered most: the charm, the history, and the joy that families had shared here for generations.

Today, I lead Wonder World with pride—not just as a business owner, but as someone who grew up between the stalactites and souvenir stands. I honor what came before while building what’s next. And every time I hear the cave train whistle or see a kid’s face light up in the anti-gravity house, I’m reminded why I came back.