From Brussels to San Quentin: The Power of Human Connection

May 2026 bring you joy, peace, health, and love, even as the world faces turmoil, uncertainty, and rapid changes, especially in technology and AI.

I started this year with a “band of losers” in Brussels, a joke about our group of international people from many different lives who wanted to celebrate in community, so my friend of 40 years opened her house. This was the perfect way to start this year, connecting with people I had known and cared for for years, as well as meeting new people.

This is a year of big transitions for me: I have to sell the house where I raised my family. There is a sense of nostalgia and sadness as I think about all the cherished memories in the house where I raised my children. At the same time, there is anticipation for what lies ahead, and I know in my heart it is time to move on.

My focus remains on impact, connections, and living a healthy life—no resolutions, just ongoing priorities.

On the connection side, I joined Kinetic Consulting,  a group of consultants, last year, and it has been nice to have a network to work with and learn from, and to be able to support clients in all aspects of their business since we have a breadth of experienced consultants (most of them used to work in the industry).

Eiffel Tower on New Year's

I’m so grateful for my friends, both here and in France and all over Europe. After spending time in Europe this summer, I realized that I feel a deeper sense of community there. In Paris for the holidays, when my children were away for New Year's, a couple of calls led to joining old friends in Brussels—a sharp contrast to trying to organize a game night here and finding everyone busy.

In France, invitations to friends’ houses and weekend travel are common. Here, especially as a single person, it’s harder to gather people; there are fewer home dinners and deep connections, as everyone seems busier and less available.

So, this year, I want to build deeper connections and cultivate the feeling of belonging in communities. I am planning to  organize more dinners at my house. If you’re local and interested, let me know.

Improv Camp

I’m also continuing improvisation and acting, which are both fun and rewarding and help me connect with interesting people.

As I get older and become an empty-nester, making an impact on others' lives matters more to me. I’ve served on boards and volunteered, but this year I started volunteering at San Quentin—a transformative experience sparked by a LinkedIn post seeking innovation trainers.

Mural at San Quentin Skunk Works

For the past 8 months, I’ve worked with San Quentin Skunk Works, an organization focused on reforming the system from within by involving incarcerated people in creating a positive change. I serve as a trainer, teaching leadership skills that can benefit incarcerated people both during and after their time in prison. And last week, I helped paint the mural project by artist El-Seed, who created two mirror murals: one in San Quentin and one in San Francisco, on the walls of the Orpheum Theater.

San Quentin is not a typical prison—the focus on rehabilitation is real. I hear it both from the incarcerated people I meet and from the staff. Realizing that they all have to live in the prison, the changes can benefit them all, reduce stress levels, and help build better support and collaboration.

The first time I did a training inside San Quentin, it seemed strange to be standing in a room with a group of 25 incarcerated people with no personnel around. Now it feels like any other group (besides the mandatory colors they wear), where I train a group eager to learn and appreciative of my workshops.

I plan to do more with this young, inside-driven organization founded by two incarcerated people just three years ago. Witnessing the transformation that leadership training brings is inspiring. And the outcomes, bringing art in prisons or providing leadership skills and doing research, are incredible. One inmate thanked me, saying it was the first time he’d felt truly treated as a human being—something that touched me deeply. Seeing people take responsibility for their past and work to give back, despite tough backgrounds, is incredibly powerful.

Finally, as for living a healthy life, I am exercising on a regular basis, going to my High Intensity Interval Training 3-4 times a week, and going hiking or walking the other days, together with a pescatarian diet with limited sugar and carbs. I also been fascinated by preventative medicine, which means tracking my sleep and exercise with my Oura ring and doing preventative testing like the Galleri test, an early detection cancer test. While some aspects of my health are beyond my control, I want to do the best I can to stay active and healthy, and I keep learning that it starts with exercise, sleep, and healthy food. I've always been aware of this, but I am fine-tuning and learning more. Peter Attia is one of the MD's I learn a lot from, both from his book Outlive and his podcast The Drive.

I am excited about this year's opportunity to reinforce my impact and connections, and hope we can be together in communities.

I would love to connect in real life. If you are interested in a dinner party or game night, let me know, and I’ll add you to my new WhatsApp group, or simply reach out for a conversation.

And please share your thoughts. What experience made you rethink your priorities last year?

What’s your focus for this year?

Creatively yours.