Me

My Professional Story

Historically, the finely groomed ideas of being a professional asked us to leave our authentic selves at the door. With that request, we've often lost out on experiencing the dimensional qualities of being human that elicit empathy, curiosity, and a sense of belonging. I want to liven my story up a bit: by punching a hole into that limiting request.

As you'll read, I am a multifaceted professional with management experience in the private and nonprofit sectors. I thrive in creative environments of big-picture thinking that focus on collaborative strategies for targeted solutions. I've learned to love the often-overlooked joys of the process where the details that pull it all together are. I am a passionate leader who believes in building teams that value: equity, diverse perspectives, growth, and mentorship.

My resume won’t tell you my own bigger picture but I will here. Before my brand-licensing career, I fell in love with photography and visual storytelling. I did my first photo-documentary project when participating in a nuclear arms race peace march up the coast of California. When I returned to New York, I worked for a world-recognized news photo agency (SYGMA Photo News) as an editor/researcher in the advertising/education department. I was born on the North Shore of Massachusetts and grew up in Colorado—a bit of a wild outdoor child. My family lived in a tipi for a summer on Padre Island, Texas, when I was a kid. We built and sewed it over the previous winter. I was late to start my college education and it took much longer than anticipated. I raised my daughter in New York City/Brooklyn, where she grew up cloaked in a love steeped with her dad's Puerto Rican heritage and my community activism. I survived colon cancer at forty-six and have faced periods of anxiety and depression over the years. I find opening up about my mental health challenging as it often carries a stigma. Surviving cancer makes you a hero. Mental health is a part of our whole body health, which we can experience with the same grace and courage as our physical health.

I hope my openness allows others to be bold and authentic with their stories as well.

Download Resume

2022 - 2024

Manager, Volunteer, and Greeter Services

Anna Jaques Hospital

Rebuilding volunteer service programs in a post-pandemic time through public engagement and:

Managing a $200K department budget for team members and volunteers delivering 11k annual hours of service
Doubling participation in senior high school 8-week spring internship program across hospital units
Creating the Anna Jaques Service Award for the annual recognition dinner after a three-year hiatus
Collaborating with our MarCom department for brand reputation development across local and social media
Leading a team of twelve employees for best-in-practice engagement with patients and our guest population at the introduction of hospital environment and services

2019 - 2021

Store Manager, The North Face

Drove sales with a best-in-class customer experience for $1MM+ store in Peabody, MA - delivering/exceeding targeted KPIs for FY20, FY21, and the first 2 quarters of FY22. Managed store through COVID-19 closing March 2020 – June 2020; reopened July 2020 with a People First approach as directed by The North Face brand values

Rolled out Division of Responsibility (DOR) program to empower sales, stock, and assistant management leadership
Co-led district-wide Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Action (IDEA) monthly presentations to store managers – allowing for complex social conversions in a safe and productive environment
Led loss prevention with the support of our leadership team to a historic all-time low for the store’s ten-year history
Proven ability to adapt and drive results while balancing ever-shifting management, customer, and store priorities

2015 - 2018

Chief Organization Strategist/Founder

The Maker Innovation Lab Lawrence (The MILL)

A maker-space positioned to tackle creative economic development/social impact through entrepreneurialism in the City of Lawrence, MA

Secured $91,500 in fit-out start-up funding through MassDevelopment, and an additional $50,000 value of in-kind donations and volunteer service/time
Established key partnerships with community stakeholders including; Everett Mills Real Estate, Greater Lawrence Technical School, Youth Development Organization, Merrimack Valley YMCA, and the City of Lawrence
Managed structural build-out, brand and web communication development, and grant reporting

2014 - 2017

Volunteer Coordinator

Director of Marketing and Volunteerism Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity

Capacity building and management of volunteers resulting in more than 30,000 annual hours of services valued at $724,000 in savings for affiliate located in Lawrence, MA

Impacted growth through event planning, public relations outreach across social and traditional media platforms, writing/coordination of print newsletters, community presentations, business partnerships, and website communication
Managed volunteer data evaluation, quarterly reporting as related to grants and affiliate standing with Habitat for Humanity International
Managed overall IT systems with a third-party contractor

2012 - 2013

Financial Network and Marketing Manager

Lawrence CommunityWorks

Coordinated build-out, program development, and marketing of Lawrence Financial Stability Center – a community-focused partnership of Lawrence CommunityWorks and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. The program is expected to serve upwards of 200 families annually in achieving financial stability through education and financial literacy.

2009 - 2014

Consultant New York / MA

Specializing in program partnership/social Impact, public relations, brand development, and fundraising

Clients: american made magazine, The Wild Horse, North Brooklyn Development Corp., CancerCare, Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center

Led grant/program development strategy securing thousands of dollars in program funding
Produced holiday pop-up shops, reignited interest in local business associations, expanded reach of target markets
Secured national and regional media placement resulting in thousands of impressions

2000 - 2008

From Associate to Director, Brand Licensing

Work Experience

Senior Licensing Manager; Director, brand licensing for Jim Beam Global Spirits and Reckitt Benckiser - managing a diverse program of licensees with results generating over $1M in annual royalty revenue for global licensing agency
Director, brand licensing direction for Atari intellectual property and world-renowned third-party gaming titles/developers onto alternative platforms, toy and hard-good categories delivering $840K in royalties
Associate Account Executive; Senior Account Executive, brand licensing for DaimlerChrysler in toys, collectibles, and video game categories resulting in annual retail sales of $250M for an award-winning program

Education

2018

Institute for Nonprofit Practice – Tufts University

Nonprofit Leadership and Management – Graduate-level coursework

2016

Merrimack College

Nonprofit Leadership and Management – Graduate-level coursework

2012

SUNY Empire State College

B.Sc. Interdisciplinary Studies Communications

Interests

the power of art to enlighten, local economic development, conscious capitalism, bridges being built between the alphabet of generations, circular sustainability, regenerative solutions, the marvels of forest bathing and cold water swimming as restorative practices, my family's wellbeing, and experiencing collective effervescence

past and present affiliations and volunteering

member/exhibiting artist Salem Arts Association, founder of The Maker Innovation Lab Lawrence (The MILL), Citizens Advisory Committee Lawrence Redevelopment Authority, Association of Fundraising Professionals, New York City Women in Communications, Board Secretary/Mentor Committee Chair Women in Toys, founding Board Member Greenpoint Williamsburg American Youth Soccer League