Team

I grew up being the kid who wanted to experience all of the things—sprinting my way through this or that extracurricular, onto drawing, reading—whatever next struck my fancy. Curiosity and lifelong learning got baked in pretty early for me.

To my surprise, after growing up in southern Indiana, I decided to stay for college. After earning a B.F.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Evansville, I shipped off to Chicago to experience city life and “become a writer.” I spent the next six years working at Barnes and Noble in what I often call my “accidental career,” learning the ropes of operations, human resources, and team building.

Next up, I had a stint in the nonprofit world, serving as marketing director at United Way, where I got immersed in market research, design, and explored the new possibilities of digital during the dawn of social media. Before founding Yes and Yonder, I worked as a creative freelancer and strategist for two creative agencies, working on a range of projects from branding to strategic planning for organizations like American College of Sports Medicine and Indiana University Alumni Association. My time serving as chief culture officer at SmallBox shaped many of the philosophies behind YAY. I am currently a senior design lead at IDEO.

When I’m not working, I can often be found pounding the pavement, running or walking. My husband and I, along with our two pups, take frequent neighborhood walks. I’m on a mission to run a marathon in every state. I also co-organize a knitting group and start most days playing word games.