Kari Baker

My Background
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but my family moved to the Arizona desert when I was in high school. It was a culture shock to say the least, and not just the exchange of pine trees for cacti. I attended University of Arizona (Bear Down) and upon graduation I promptly moved to California to fulfill my dream of living at the beach that was sparked by watching episodes of Beverly Hills 90210. I was a banker's daughter, so my finance-laden genes pushed me to pursue a career in the investments business. Ironically, while I helped my clients get wealthy, I was anything but. After almost ten years of renting cracker jack boxes, (I actually lived in the laundry room at one point) and spending more on rent and food than I made each month, I moved back to Arizona. That's where all the pieces fell into place. I met my husband, John. We married and had a son, Brady. I built a successful business in 401(k) consulting. Everything was going just as planned. Then came my son's autism diagnosis when he was three, and "everything" changed.

Over the last decade I found a new faith I didn't know was possible, a new purpose to help others, and a new perspective on success. I started writing about our family's experiences, and founded KIND Families, a resource for Kids with Invisible Neurological Differences. Finally, after thirty years in the financial services business, I felt a strong pull from God to step away completely. I sold my practice, and have devoted my time to projects that encourage others in faith, parenting, and finding purpose.