Fun Fact
My love language is baskets.
Business Strategy
How do you translate innovation into real business outcomes for clients?
I don’t subscribe to the “move fast and break things” mindset. I believe in the “learn fast and build things that matter” one because if innovation doesn’t solve real problems and create real value, it becomes a bright, shiny object. In my experience, the best business outcomes come from innovation that’s a result of co-invention, where teams work together to explore business problems like a team sport. Good ideas can come from anywhere, especially when leaders remove emotional and structural blockers that prevent people from understanding underlying issues, insights about their core audiences and business objectives, and having leadership support and a reasonable amount of room to experiment—not for novelty’s sake, but to create processes and programs that actually solve problems.
Industry/Service Expertise
How does your background shape the way you lead in fast-evolving industries?
From waiting tables and working as a stable hand as a teenager to starting my career in the art world during the Great Recession, I learned how to operate in any context and that the most interesting and successful people are both smart AND kind under pressure. That foundation taught me to read rooms quickly, adapt without losing sight of the goal, and lead with empathy when things get messy (skills that matter as much in the boardroom as they did in a restaurant!). When the stakes are high, the work can be incredibly fun when you lead by assuming good intent, give grace to those who need it and, most importantly, roll up your sleeves and go.
Strategic Marcomms
What’s changed most about how brands need to show up and how do you help them adapt?
The expectation of authenticity in how brands and leaders engage with the people they need to connect with is wildly different today than a decade ago, particularly in highly regulated industries. Formality reads like gatekeeping and withholding, whereas treating your shareholders and stakeholders with respect for their intelligence begets more respect, engagement and loyalty for your brand. Today, how leaders show up is mission critical and I get a ton of energy from helping leaders find their voice at the intersection of the work they’re doing and what drives them outside of the office.
Client Results
What’s a campaign or client partnership you’re especially proud of–and what made it successful?
RapidRatings needed to raise brand visibility and connect PR to marketing and sales in order to drive demand among F500 executives focused on financial health, supply chain, risk management, and credit. In partnership with the client, we built a campaign to shape and drive the news cycle, anticipating how overly leveraged companies would lead to Chapter 11 filings and a break in the supply chain.
We created a steady flow of thought leadership and data stories to sound the alarm, leveraging the Chair’s deep expertise, repurposing earned insights for business development, and integrating media relations with content, email, executive visibility, and messaging. Campaign coverage outpaced the prior year by 23% and delivered a 45% two-year coverage lift with 64 articles aligned to business goals. We secured 12 broadcast appearances on CNBC, Yahoo! Finance, NPR Marketplace, and Bloomberg TV. 77% of placements landed in top-tier outlets, with 66% featuring Chair commentary. Survey report downloads increased 3x.
It’s an amazing example of how teamwork and trust can lead to more interesting work with stronger outcomes.
Our Culture
What’s something unique about the way Highwire collaborates, and how has that impacted your approach?
Highwire deeply gets that a strong culture is a flywheel for growth. Getting to know people as humans first creates stronger outcomes for clients, teams and careers. It excites me to no end that I get to work with fun, courageous, smart people every day and do interesting and creative work that matters. What a gift!
