I am a first-generation, Mexican-Japanese American. I grew up in Los Angeles, where I lived for 25 years with my parents and three sisters.

Apparently, my first name's kanji characters mean "self control".

I got my Masters' Degree at California State University. In 2013, I moved to Denmark to complete my PhD in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Copenhagen. I've since held positions at DTU, the Royal Danish Academy, and GN Audio.

My first language was Spanish; I learned to speak English at the age of 4, and it's now my primary language. I mastered Danish as an adult through sheer willpower and appreciation for the Scandinavian way of life.