Come see about me.*
Hello!
*if you don’t know the reference, look it up and enjoy the earworm!
I grew up in the Philadelphia metro—the perfect setting to develop a love for food and music, notable regional accents, and colorful, passionate individuals. Our public school district’s excellent music program made me fall in love with the cello in second grade, so my childhood was spent as a semi-professional musician playing in chamber groups, symphonies, off-Broadway orchestra pits, and as a soloist. When I wasn’t doing school or music, I was either devouring stacks of books or “project managing” a menagerie that included a dog, half a dozen rabbits, the occasional mouse or small amphibian, a fledgling bluejay, and chickens. I don’t know that every kid splits weekends learning from top musicians in historic downtown music venues while serving in 4H and hanging around bikers in the Pine Barrens, but it was a lot of fun.
Now, my family tree is laden with some famous (maybe even notorious) poets, malapropists, and talkers-to-strangers, so it was inevitable that I developed a passion for language and stories and people. These interests (plus a serious obsession with all things culinary) have informed most of my major life choices, from academics to travel to career. For instance, while The University of Chicago won me over with its famed Gothic architecture and linguistics offerings, what kept me in Chicago past graduation was falling in love with my friendly neighbors, and a stubborn quest to hit all the neighborhood restaurants on my never-ending list.
I’m still smitten with my adopted hometown, growing deeper roots by the year. I consider co-hosting block parties, tending to unruly dogs (and gardens) in my slightly haunted bungalow*, and serving as a superfan of the Chicago Sky, crucial elements of my civic duties.
*The color scheme of this website is inspired by the rose and green tones in its stained glass windows, circa 1927!
Connecting the Dots.
I’ve had a job since I was 14 years old. (Shout out to Bloomer’s Home and Garden!) I’ve worked in coffee shops and retail, in and around academia, and in niche industries from wine to software to biotech. At the end of the day, my ability to understand how products and ideas are translated from production to the end user is thanks to this broad work experience–and the common threads of service, connection, and storytelling remain at the core of what I do.
Working within specialized, dynamic industries turned me into a professional who can see the big picture and predict what’s around the bend. I’ve been proud to claim titles like Director of Education, Portfolio Manager, Head of Marketing, and Regional Sales Director–but at the end of the day, I am prouder that I work hard, play well with others, and bring my whole self to my work irrespective of my title or project.
If you’d like to work together, check out my experience on my LinkedIn page. (It’s just not nearly as interesting as a phone call, so do reach out!)
Lastly—although I’m based in Chicago, I’m open to working with any team, anywhere, on the right project. If it’s helpful to your project, soy bilingüe en español.
Taking an active role in the community around me has enriched my world.
Check out some of the talented friends, collaborators, and organizations I care about.
Deep Cuts
These factoids wouldn’t make my CV, but while we’re getting to know one another, here’s some stuff you’d maybe hear from me at a cocktail party.
Cellist for life.
I started playing at 6, and played in a competitive quartet from 14 through the end of high school. I performed locally and abroad with regional and professional orchestras while studying as a soloist, and even taught young players. My quartet won the Lincoln Center Young Artists Competition for youth chamber musicians in 1999, which led us to study under mentors at Juilliard (still have the t-shirt!) and perform the Shostakovich Quartet No. 1 in the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.
Fun fact: I don’t think they let 14-year-olds submit Shostakovich pieces in these auditions anymore.
I probably saw Mothman, and talked about it on WBEZ.
Fun fact: People still ask me for the video.
ZAP!
I’ve been struck by lightning. It was a secondary strike, to be truthful, but it hurt all the same, and made my hair … large. If you’ve ever licked a battery (not saying you should!) imagine that zap coursing through your whole body, then make it noisy and smelling of ozone. You’ll get the picture.
Fun fact: I actually had a relative named Sparky.
Rocking the talk.
While I’m most actively a Spanish speaker (learned in the tiny streets of rural La Rioja), I’m also comfortable reading and making conversation in Italian, Portuguese, French, and Catalan. I will always take someone up on continuing to learn Mandarin if they’re offering lessons.
Fun fact: I was the only undergraduate to work with a team of professors to co-develop a curriculum for the study of Basque (aka Euskera) at University of Chicago. It’s now a permanent course.