Miriam studied architecture and interiors at the University of Oregon.  With degree and portfolio in hand, she moved to New York City to work with classical design firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.  Although always a creative designer, her lifelong love of scent inspired an adventurous career-change to pursue her passion for perfumery.

That proved to be an auspicious decision, as it led her to meet and be mentored by one of the fragrance industry’s leading noses, Ann Gottlieb.

Under her mentorship, Miriam received the fragrance apprentice-training traditionally reserved for times past.  Initially with Gryphon Development, Miriam was introduced not only to perfumery, but to product development from inception to launch.  From there, she went on to renown fragrance house International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) in NYC as a professional fragrance evaluator, where she collaborated with master perfumers on some of the most successful fragrances in the world.  Over the course of her career, while holding positions in fragrance evaluation, product development, marketing, and sales, she celebrated Olfactive success with brands that include Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Unilever, Gap, Banana Republic, The Body Shop, Neutrogena, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, as well as celebrity and niche perfumery clients.  Miriam created and taught “The Art & Poetry of Perfumery’, a specialty master-class in olfactive evaluation and perfumery blending.  In addition to the 40notes Signature Collection, her custom creations are now wait-listed by appointment.

Miriam currently lives with her husband in Portland, Oregon. Their cat Siri is named after the mystical “dog-star” Sirius, presumably the inspiration to ancient cultures from Egypt to Polynesia.  Siri continues to inspire where ever she wanders..