The very first paycheck I received was from detassling corn. I was in middle school, and I learned not only how and why to detassle corn (it's a pollination thing), but also that you should always wear waterproof footwear when doing field work and you should never give your jug of water to someone in exchange for a Pepsi if you want to stay hydrated.

I grew up in the Midwest, so I continued farm work into high school. After school and before dance practice, I prepared the rosters for each boys' and girls' home basketball game and hung the gymnasium signage. In college, I cleaned houses and was a reporter and editor for the student newspaper. I held internships at two of the largest Chicago metro newspapers, The Daily Herald and The Times of Northwest Indiana. I washed windows, and I worked as the activities coordinator for the Toulon Healthcare Center, a nursing home near my hometown. After graduating college, I was hired on as a naturalist and volunteer coordinator for the Kane County Forest Preserve. And, after working there for nearly five years, I found my way to marketing for The Nature Conservancy, where I have been sharing stories and leading people since 2010.

At the start of 2020, I was called into coaching. I saw and felt people suffering all around me, trying to make sense of all that the year brought our way, and I knew I could help. I knew I needed to help. In August 2020, I earned my Life + Leadership Coaching Certification from the Academy of Creative Coaching, an ICF-accredited coach training program.

Why the longest-ever description of my career? Because it all matters and has shaped me into the person I am today. I've learned practical life skills, people skills, mindfulness and self-awareness in all of these roles, and I've gained a lot of perspective along the way.

I bring all of this learning into my coaching practice.

Annual Reportrole: copywriter + creative director

Annual Report
role: copywriter + creative director