Laura Holmes HaddadLaura Holmes Haddad received her BA degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she majored in comparative government. She spent one year studying international politics at the London School of Economics before enrolling in he chef's program at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and receiving an AA degree. After working as a caterer in Northern California, she moved to New York City and became an assistant cookbook editor at Simon & Schuster. Five years later, she returned to California and pursued a freelance writing and editing career. She is the author of Anything but Chardonnay: A Guide to the Other Grapes and coauthor of Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh, All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest; and Lulu Powers Food to Flowers: Simple, Stylish Food for Easy Entertaining. After a three-year battle with breast cancer, she began writing about cancer and speaking about patient advocacy. When not writing, she can be found hiking, paddleboarding, reading, cooking, or swinging on a rope swing with her kids. She lives in Northern California with her husband, daughter, son, and a Dalmatian. Read More Read Less