Storytelling + UX +
Consumer Insights = Brand Strength
This is what I have focused on for most of my career: how the most engaging content, exceptional user experiences, and a deep understanding of the consumer can be harnessed to drive brands’ growth and influence.
My #1 imperative:
Experiment.
Build great teams, clearly articulate strategy and goals, and give people the freedom to try out new things and learn—from what works, and what doesn’t. I believe a thoughtful yet agile process of experimentation, in which people feel safe to be bold and (yes) sometimes fail, is a key driver of innovation and long-term success.
By The Numbers
20
years experience
I love taking the skills I’ve honed over my career and applying them to our current environment. The rapid pace of change driven by technology has created more opportunity than ever for stories to be told and connect with diverse audiences, and it fuels creativity.
11
companies worked for
Observing and absorbing different work cultures has given me clear ideas on what I think makes for the most successful organizations and teams—and I believe it begins with leadership that establishes strategy, makes smart decisions, and empowers people.
6
continents visited
Antarctica still eludes me but I’ve been to all the others, multiple times. I’ve been a devoted traveler my entire adult life, and I believe strongly in travel’s power to expand minds: it can make you both a smarter and a better person, more receptive to new ideas and different ways.
Getting Personal
Most of this site is devoted to my professional life, but for those who are curious…
I live in Seattle, Washington, with my husband, Charles, and our dog, a Lagotto Romagnolo named Marco.
I am passionate about politics, conservation and preservation, and justice. I love cooking, wine and spirits, menswear, design, and travel. I have an extensive LP collection, heavy on the great female singers of the 40s through the 70s. I collect old magazines, fossils, and Danish and Japanese pottery. I love to run and have—finally—started to get the hang of meditating.
I speak French (not as well as I used to). Fun fact: I used to be fluent in Welsh.
Much of what I know for certain about life I learned from my grandmothers.