A career, and a life, well-lived.

We are not here to do what has already been done.

- Robert Henri

EVERYWHERE

2021 - today

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

It’s summer 2021. The U.S. is emerging from the 18-month COVID-19 pandemic lock down. And in those months, I had a lot of time to think about what I’ve learned in the three+ decades my career has spanned.

After years of changing companies from the inside, I now bring the outside in as a consultant. I believe even before the pandemic that people processes, programs, and activation strategies were on a disastrous path. We’ve been given the opportunity to shift that course.

Let’s do it, together.

NYC

2017 - 2021

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

In 2017, NYC called and I answered. First stop was a consulting agency known for ground-breaking work and partnering with some well-known leaders. I tell people that you might not know SYPartners, but you’ve likely experienced their impact. Here, I got the incredible opportunity to lead a team building their digital leadership platform.

Surrounded by consulting everyday gave me a little bit of a bug; what would it be like to do short engagements with specific outcomes? To zoom in, activate and enable people, and then off to the next thing? Thanks to Etsy and Cityblock, I got the chance to try and it’s shaped my POV in some powerful ways.

OAKLAND

2013 - 2017

HIP-HOP DJS AND DATA SCIENTISTS

They were the biggest internet-based radio platform and one of the first apps on the iPhone. In 2014, Pandora Media had just experienced its biggest employee growth to date. It was time they made deeper investments in attracting and retaining the best of the best talent in the Engineering space. This is where I came in—leading their growing People team, I:

• applied neuroscience and humanity to design and deliver a leadership series for 450 people managers.

• led internal communication and marketing efforts for the HR division.

• implemented a ‘no-ratings’ performance management program to reduce bias in developing and promoting employees.

• created a bespoke digital learning platform to deliver core growth and development programs to the more than 2000 employees.

• partnered with the Diversity team to inculcate moments of inclusion and equity into all employee learning experiences.

• scripted and hosted the first ever internal podcast series.

CUPERTINO

LONDON

2001 - 2013

THE LOWERCASE “I” ADVENTURES

In 2001, before the iPod iPhone, there was a scrappy group of retail experts that came together to open the first Apple Stores. During my 12 years with Apple Retail, Inc, I:

• created the Apple Retail mentor program that connected newly hired in-store Apple Retail leaders with seasoned leaders to provide on-hands training and support.

• designed and led efforts to test and migrate HR, Inventory, and Communication systems for Retail Operations.

• designed the communication guidelines, team structure, and publishing workflow, for the global employee communication effort that supported multiple countries and more than seven languages. 

• created operational practices, inventory controls, and training for the first U.S. iPhone launch and iPad

• coordinated the operations and created the store employee communications for the first international iPhone launch. 

• opened 125+ Apple stores including the first stores in Japan, England, Scotland, Paris, Italy Madrid, Switzerland, Australia, and Canada.

LOS ANGELES

1995 - 2001

DRIVE THRUS AND LAUNDROMATS

In the mid 90’s I was part of a fearless team of people in Los Angeles who, unbeknownst to them at the time, were playing key roles in the rapid expansion of Starbucks Coffee Co. I not only opened dozens of stores, but also:

• developed the store manager training to support rapid expansion.

• prototyped an early version of the Starbucks drive-thru on the bustling Sunset Strip.

• tested the first ‘store-in-store’ experience with a small footprint Starbucks in a trendy laundromat on Hollywood Blvd.