Bio

One part experience designer, one part strategist and one part entrepreneur, my passion lies in delivering products and services that solve real problems or take advantage of emerging opportunities. Currently with SapientNitro, my work can be seen at major brands such as Target, Hyatt, Kellogg’s and Chrysler. I’ve also had the pleasures and pains of launching startups with big visions in social commerce, personal finance and even interactive clothing.

I credit my unique personal, professional and educational background to approach design challenges and opportunities with a combination of empathy, practicality and entertainment. Growing up, my father was a singer with the Metropolitan Opera where I was lucky to be exposed to many unique experiences and people. Starting in high school, I also developed a deep interest in Asia, specifically Japan, since my school was one of the first in Michigan where I grew up to offer Japanese. This interest eventually led to various experiences ranging from studying and performing Japanese Noh and Kyogen theater to helping drive business development and localization efforts for a major new e-commerce platform in Asia-Pacific as a software consultant.

I hold a B.A. in Finance from Michigan State University and a M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University. I also received the Monbusho Graduate Scholarship in Japan to study Intercultural Communication.

Detroit is my hometown but I currently reside in Chicago.