Hello everyone. My first name is Natasha, though I seldom go by it. It isn’t that I don’t like my name, I just feel as though Tasha better fits my personality. I happily answer to either one or any versions of the two that people have come up with (e.g., Nat, Tash, Tashie, Tashala). Engel (pronounced Awnjel) is my middle name, and is also my maternal grandmother’s maiden name. It’s Alsatian and I really, really love that name.

This past May I graduated from CSULB with a B.A. in sociology and a minor in psychology. Currently, I’m attending Pepperdine University for graduate school, working toward my master’s in clinical psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy. In approximately 2-3 years I will have my master’s and will finally be able to enter the real world as both an adult and a family therapist.

If you have any idea where Pepperdine is located, you’ll realize that I reside in Southern California. I have actually lived here since the day I was born, and I’ve never lived in another state. While I appreciate other parts of the world and sometimes long to leave California, deep down I know that no greater place exists. It is more than just perfect, beautiful year-round sunshine that makes this place so great. It’s the culture as well. There are many stereotypes about what the people are like in California, but the bottom line is that Californians are very upbeat, motivated people who I sincerely enjoy being around.

I’ve been with Alex on and off for the last four years. He is very special to me and he “gets” me better than anyone else ever has. I love him tremendously.

As you can probably tell from the photo on the left, I love snowboarding. Other hobbies of mine include traveling, Broadway musicals, and working out at 24 Hour Fitness. For the time being I work part-time as an office assistant for a commercial real estate company in Corona del Mar. I love the people I work with and the job is very chill, which is perfect for a student like me. I plan on keeping this job throughout my graduate studies, though who knows where life will take me.

I’m a major animal lover. My favorite animal is the chimpanzee, but I love my three little doggies (Gigi, Smokey Joe, and Louie) and my Russian tortoise (Stevie) more than anything. If I didn’t have my heart set on a career in psychology, I would probably become a zoologist or marine biologist!

Lastly, I am 22 years old (born 1/25/86) and will be living with my parents until I finish grad school. I have a younger sister, a boyfriend, a few close friends, and an obsession with Golden Spoon frozen yogurt.

Name:	Tasha Engel
Location:	Lake Forest, California, USA
Birthday:	January 25, 1986 (age 22)
Height:	5 ft. 3 in. short
Favorite Season:	Summer (all other seasons tie for 2nd place)
Favorite Animal:	Chimpanzees (and doggies of course)
Religion:	Agnostic
Political Preference:	Strongly Democrat
Relationship Status:	In love with Alex M.
Education:	M.A. Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine, class of ‘10! B.A. Sociology at CSULB, class of ‘08!