a researcher, story-collector, organizer, and teacher, who enjoys helping people embrace who they are and connecting them to work they love.
The purpose of this site is to share what I'm working on, with special emphasis on the work that went into something, which is often not evident in the final result. I was inspired by something Steven Furtick said:
The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.
I believe it's important to share where I am coming from as I work on projects. Not because I think my way is the only way – there's always more than one path – but because something I did may give you new ways to approach your work. With that being said…
HERE ARE MY AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Interviewing. I produced a podcast featuring women of color and we explore their career paths. I also moderate panels featuring experts who discuss their craft/expertise. I believe hearing others claim their genius is one of the best ways to get us to claim ours.
Organizing. I write about organizing both digital files and physical spaces, with the belief that the biggest killer of productivity and efficiency is not knowing where things are. As a sub-project of my organizing work, I also produce virtual events for nonprofits and organizations committed to replacing systems of harm to systems focused on the wellbeing of our communities.
Career Coaching. I help individuals take inventory of their career accomplishments and failures. I believe reflecting on your past will better equip you to excel in the present…and future.
You may be wondering, “How did I get started in this?”
For as long as I can remember, I've always been interested in challenging stereotypes and what I think is possible:
I started playing sports in middle school. Perhaps it was all the teen movies from the 80s and 90s that warped my thinking, but I didn't believe I could be a star athlete and a high-achieving student. But I was committed to trying. And guess what happened? I was Salutatorian of my graduating high school class and an all-state track & field athlete. Guess you can be a nerd and a jock? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The bulk of my professional career has been in Human Resources/People Operations. I've interviewed lots of people (literally thousands). The ones I remember always had unique pairings: two qualities not normally found in the same person. There was the journalist who also rode motorcycles, the charismatic salesman who also had great attention to detail, the CEO who was also a nice person (I kid).
This fascination with people's career paths – how two people could be doing the same thing but got there in wildly different ways – is why I started my podcast.
I chose to interview only women of color because our stories are largely absent from mainstream media. Every industry, when questioned about their lack of diversity (especially at the top), will likely say that there aren't enough qualified women of color to hire and promote. My podcast challenges that myth. 🤾🏽♀️
I knew I wanted to interview Kat Yalung for the podcast the first time I met her. When I asked Kat if I could interview her, she expressed reservations that she was a fit for the podcast. I was surprised she felt that way considering one of my previous guests, Miki Reynolds, said Kat was one of her possibility models.
Think about all the times you've immediately doubted yourself before actually looking at the facts (your background and skills). Too often I see people – including myself – listing all the reason we're not qualified instead of listing all the reasons we are.
How often have you dismissed praise about your work because you forgot how much effort it took to get good at it?
And so considering all these things and my background, I decided to do something about it. Now I help others recognize the hard work they've put into developing their careers and understanding their worth.
Hard work and the dangerous commitment to doing something that matters doesn't get us a guaranteed wheelbarrow of prizes… but what it does do is help us understand our worth. That worth, over time, can become an obligation, the chance to do our best work and to contribute to communities we care about.
Seth Godin
If you're still reading, wow! Thank you! If you want to connect and read about what I'm working on – the podcast, moderating panels & leading workshops, developing my first product – subscribe to my newsletter, The Blooming. It's the easiest way to not miss a thing.
And if you'd like to work together, you can fill out the form here or send me an email (both come directly to me). I'm also on LinkedIn.
I also moderate panels or 1-on-1 “fireside chats” where I explore career paths and talk craft/expertise of the panelist(s). Contact me to discuss.
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit.
Warmly,