GET TO KNOW ME

I grew up on the Sonoran desert, in both Tucson and South of Tucson, near the

border between the United States and Mexico. My undergraduate degree is in Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting and a Minor in Film from the University of Arizona.

In December 2019, I received my Master of Social Work degree from Arizona State University. For years, I have pursued work that is intended to make a positive difference in people’s lives. In May 2020, I became a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). In June 2023, I became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I currently work with individuals throughout Arizona in private practice in addition to my outreach and advocacy work.  For the previous 18 years, I dedicated myself to service in the community through leadership and volunteerism in non-profit organizations. 

In August of 2015, I founded The Cree Project, in memory of my son Cree Castro-Topp, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You can read more about The Cree Project here. Cree fatally overdosed in Veinte de Agosto Park in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 19, after a five-year battle that began with opioid painkillers and ended with heroin use.   

One of my favorite quotes is by C.S. Lewis,  “You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” Though we cannot change events or experiences that have already occurred, we have power in each moment to find acceptance and happiness in the now.