The Full Story
Like many learning and development practitioners, my career path is anything but linear. I fell into this work out of an insatiable curiosity and a continual need to grow, learn, and experience new aspects of myself and others. Below are the major career "acts" in my life and the themes that have shown up throughout my learning and development career.
Each of my career experiences has given me new, shiny tools for my L&D toolbox and unique perspectives working with wonderfully diverse populations within the nonprofit, higher education, corporate, tech, and government sectors.
After a bit of reflection, I can now see the COMMON THREAD.
Act 1
Direct Services
I started in the nonprofit sector at Chrysalis, working with unhoused and incarcerated individuals who were rebuilding their lives. I was providing case management and training, and then I became infatuated by the field of coaching and decided to become a certified IPEC coach.
I had the privilege of joining a Social Justice Fellowship to learn about social justice principles and community activism in Los Angeles.
After experiencing a layoff during the Great Recession, I decided to go back to school for an MBA at Loyola Marymount University.
Act 2
Administration
While in school, I specialized in social entrpreneurship and corporate social responsibility. I launched a school Net Impact chapter and became an Education Pioneers fellow, where I studied education reform, attended seminars and leadership trainings, and participated in a local consulting project for a charter school. I loved being a part of an active learning community creating change in the field of education. At the end of my graduate program, my capstone project was a research trip to Hong Kong, India, and Singapore where we interviewed, analyzed and learned from social enterprises across the globe. It was the trip of a lifetime and l was so inspired by the people I met.
After graduating, I found the perfect balance of social change + entrepreneurship at the XPRIZE Foundation and I started new adventures, like marriage! I was thrilled to be part of a mission based organization as a prize designer launching large-scale competitions and spurring innovation. I worked alongside some of the best thought leaders in education, energy, and environment innovation and led ideation workshops for corporate executives and change makers.
Act 3
Entrepreneurship
After my husband and I started a family, I moved into higher education and began teaching a course on Social Entrepreneurship.
Then we fell in love with Portland, and when my husband had the opportunity to transfer his job to PDX, we jumped on it. I started teaching in the Business Department at Portland Community College, and using my entrepreneurial education and my husband's operational background, we decided to start a residential energy company. I managed the realtor training program and created new CE classes to engage our realtor partners.
I was then brought on to Vacasa's Real Estate team to design their realtor partner certification course and train their new Agent Services team. I traveled the country teaching the course both virtually and in person and growing the realtor network.
When COVID hit, Vacasa had a major layoff, and once again, I had to turn to my entrepreneurial skills. I discovered StoryBrand's 7-part framework and built a leadership program, Biz Story Studio, teaching business leaders how to create their brand identity and invite clients into a compelling story.
Act 4
Impact
And that leads me to today where I manage the GeoTech Center Fellowship at the Atlantic Council. The fellowship is comprised of academics, policy advisors, and corporate leaders who are committed to the deployment of responsible AI and emerging tech applications. I cultivate working groups and conversations that will impact the future of tech, policy, and the potential to benefit humanity.
My aspirational goal is to be a leading L&D expert in the Portland business community. I know employees are hungry for leadership training, and they want the tools to do it. The greatest impact I can have is to help employees identify their unique talents and find ways to use those talents in their current role.
The Common Thread
Although there are many projects and different industry players that I've engaged with throughout my journey, the common thread here is my passion for developing people. I've learned how to design inclusive environments that create opportunities for individuals to hone in on their unique skills and potential.
My hope is that participants in my workshops receive energy from inspired curriculum and leave with new ideas and practical solutions to solve problems and create change.
I commend organizations that take the time to invest in their employees and looking forward to meeting you.