OUR STORY

I created Westwind Botanicals in 2022 after 10+ years of studying, growing and gifting tea blends to my friends and family. As early as I can remember I was enamored with aromatic herbs, from huffing oregano as a two year old in Greece, to roasting dandelion roots from the garden as a pre-teen, I spent a lot of time foraging and making ‘potions’ and experiments from the backyard. As I got older I experienced women’s health problems while living in Chicago, and I didn’t easily find medical help I needed through western medicine. This conflict threw me deeper into learning about herbalism and studying with a variety of very different but all nurturing teachers. I have a deep and unwavering love of herbal medicine and I feel called to share that with others. Simple teas every day will bring joy and contentment.

I am very grateful to the teachers I have studied with and friends I have learned beside. Nancy Klehm was my first herbal mentor, an urban forager and composter extroirdinaire. I completed Denise Joy of Mountain Spirit Herbs’ first year apprenticeship program in 2014. I apprenticed with Shatoiya De La Tour, author of Earth Mother Herbal in 2015. In 2016-17 I worked for Michael Pilarski of Friends of the Trees Botanicals. There are other teachers that have impacted me in major ways, to all I feel immense gratitude.