Tessa served as a volunteer for The Peace Corps Agency, a United States Government program, which provides social and economic assistance to the world. She was stationed in the South Pacific country of The Kingdom of Tonga.  Tessa
died from a shark attack while serving the village of Tu'anuku, Tonga.

Tessa graduated from St. Michael’s Highschool in Santa Fe, NM with high honors, and went on to receive her BA from University of New Mexico. She also graduated from Ecoversity Permaculture School and worked as an organic farmer in Las Trampas, NM.

 

She was an avid artist who loved painting and drawing, as well as writing and poetry. She also excelled in athletics and loved playing soccer, skiing, kayaking and mountain climbing.

Tessa, a world traveler, spent time in Mexico, South America, Europe, Nepal, Tibet and India. She was a  student of world religion and chose to take Refuge in Buddhism.

 

She dedicated her life to humanitarian efforts, particularly for people suffering from poverty and abuse.