I'm the mother of three girls, Lucy, 23, Clara, 19, and Rachel, 15.  I grew up in Australia and came to Austin in 1984 to go to graduate school at UT, where I met my husband, Will Pickens, who's from Texas.  We've been married for 34 years.  He's a licensed landscape architect. 

I'm a Chartered Financial Analyst and I worked for twelve years before my first child was born.  I had a wonderful job that took me to many amazing places in the world.  I have an undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of Western Australia and a Masters in Energy and Mineral Resources from UT.  

I love to garden and to prepare our meals from fresh, locally grown food.  I also love wool and yarn, and all forms of handwork.  And I love to sing, with children and in a circle of friends.