A native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and a long-time resident of the Capitol Beltway, Alivia knew at a young age she wanted to write and share stories with purposeful meaning. 

She grew up listening to vivid family stories and captivating accounts of Civil War, WWII and American history told by her late father, who had the uncanny ability to completely engage his audience and make a story fresh, regardles if it was heard once or a hundred times. She now views those listening experiences as the touchstone for her work.  

As a young classical musician, Alivia played the piano and cello throughout high school, receiving a music scholarship to attend Penn State University in 1994.

There, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, and promptly shelved her dreams of writing to pursue a career in the IT world of corporate America.

Leaving the gray walls behind in 2003, Alivia started a new career as a production manager for a small video & film production company in Northern Virginia. One of her first assignments was coordinating crews to videotape celebrities boosting morale of the war-wounded at Walter Reed Medical Center. And life changed.

Deeply impacted by the people she met and the faces of war-torn soldiers, Alivia's later encounter with a Vietnam veteran still struggling with survivor's guilt and PTSD inspired her to write. 

The result was her debut novel, Still the Monkey, What Happens to Warriors after War, titled to reflect the nature of a mind tormented by ghosts of a scarred past and an unpromised future.

Published by Ironcutter Media, LLC in March 2007, a company she founded to create 'media that matters,' the novel was re-released as a 2nd edition in November 2009 as Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home. 

It is part of the Beyond the Wall Series exploring the ramifications of post-combat issues in America that now includes the same titled documentary and digital library.

Empassioned to learn why one in four homeless persons is a veteran, she hit the streets, shelters and Dept.of VA Medical Center in DC to direct and produce Beyond the Wall: Homeless Zone.

There she met with two Iraq War veterans who experienced homelessness first-hand and two Vietnam veterans whose support and compassion as former warriors and current day service-providers continue to pave roads for recovery.  

The documentary premiered at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in November, 2008.

As an event producer, Alivia coordinated the Women Artists / Women Healing Art Exhibit and Discussion Series with author Elizabeth Bruce in March of 2009 for Womens' History Month.  Subsequently, she coordinated two congressional events, the House Pro Golf Committee kickoff reception (July 2009) and the Longest Yard Congressional Football Game for Charity at the DC Armory (October 2009).

Recently, Alivia and Ironcutter Media published UPROOTED: Searching for Serenity, by Michelle McCloseky-Alicea, in addition to the Mrs. Pea Children's Book Series by Kat Parrish, including Speck's Amazing Adventure and Blake the Brontosaurus & Timmy the Boy.  

Alivia is focused on accomplishing three goals in 2010. 

1. Distribute Ironcutter Media's titles to every school and library across America. (lofty, she knows, but that's the purpose of goals.) 

2. Coordinate a discussion, literary or civic event every month featuring Ironcutter Media's authors. 

3.  Direct and produce a documentary about the Afghanis and Americans who serve and sacrifice to rebuild Afghanistan.

She enjoys good music, friends and wine, and spending time with her family in Pennsylvania.