Anya started her winding career path teaching English as a Second Language with the Peace Corps in Sichuan Province, China in the late 1990s. Other jobs have included assisting with making cider and pies at a small apple orchard in New Hampshire, editing textbooks in Boston, and doing marketing and communications for the University of Massachusetts.
In 2018, Anya moved to St. Louis to pursue her master’s degree in social work at the Brown School at WashU. After graduating, she worked in community mental health in Alton, Illinois before transitioning to her role with WashU Cares. On her own time, Anya enjoys reading and watching science fiction and fantasy, doing creative writing, listening to jazz, interpreting dreams, and spending time with her husband, friends, and cat.