About Me

I was born on June 5th in San Francisco, California and grew up in Mill Valley in the hills of lovely Marin County. The dynamic duo, Ann and Gene Spake, raised me and my four wonderful brothers—all unique and awesome individuals. Zhenya, the eldest, is a cultivator of peace and landscapes. The younger brother, Colin, is a peaceful warrior on the cutting edge of sustainability, permanent culture, and a budding nurse practitioner. Jeremy, a physical therapist/entrepreneur/computer-wiz and Brennan, an amazing drummer and musician, are the sons of my older sister, Laura.

Laura was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 24 years old. The cancer took her life and though she was 12 years older than me, her death affected me deeply. Prior to that time, I watched life as if through the lens of a camera—peering at my experiences from an audience perspective. After that, I began to open up and dive into life—more present—filling all the experiences thereafter with a sense that life is so fragile and precious.

I love my family, they are a strong part of me and I am grateful for their love, strength, and wisdom. They taught me to value humanity and nature in this vast and beautiful world.

Read about the Formative Years