I would describe myself as innately curious, optimistic, and enthusiastic—and this translates into a passion for unlocking people’s potential. I find it incredibly satisfying to help someone uncover an answer to something....and then to see them take their first tentative (and then animated!) steps towards making a new reality.
My academic background isn’t one that you’d immediately think leads to executive coaching—I was trained as a medieval historian (and have my bachelor’s and master’s degree from Yale University in those subjects). But I am convinced that studying this historical era has been key to my ability to think in a cross-disciplinary way. Academic subjects as theoretically disparate as math, music, astronomy, philosophy, literature, political science, and so on are all parts of the puzzle that come together to make sense of a time that feels so far away.
Beyond my academic degrees, I am also a Certified Coach through the Hudson Institute; hold the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF); am trained in the Leadership Circle assessment; and have an HR certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
I have always been drawn to working with people and their stories. My early career started in food journalism, where I led the production of two magazines centered around Italian cuisine and culture, as well as one about spicy food from around the globe. Working with such an enthusiastic community of makers, readers, and writers further deepened my appreciation for the power and interconnection of storytelling and culture (not to mention the warmth and community that comes from breaking bread with others!).
My work eventually led into the tech world, where I was a very early employee at an educational technology start-up. There, I led combined teams of content experts and engineers to reinvent the way digital textbooks were designed by educators and experienced by learners. I then spent the next few years building out the People function at a hypergrowth design tech start-up called Figma.
I love helping companies and leaders build cultures and build their own capacity—coaching managers and teams was my favorite part of my job, and I knew I wanted to make that the centerpiece of my next endeavor. So now I operate my own coaching and consulting practice, as well as teach and mentor HR leaders through programs such as the People Leader Accelerator.
I have also served for over a decade on the board of directors of a national music non-profit (leading the board for four years as president), and am passionate about volunteer board service as a way to develop leadership and communication skills.
I am a lifelong musician and feel strongly about the idea that chamber music is an incredible language and skill set—one that is deeply applicable to almost everything else in life. I play a stringed instrument called the viola da gamba, an early relative of the modern violin/viola/cello family…and has a musical repertoire that is both extremely beautiful and fun to play.
I love to make things with my hands, and have been exploring woodcarving (spoons!), making brooms from scratch, and all sorts of other creative pursuits with yarn, textiles, and other natural materials. Lately I‘ve been finding a great deal of joy whilst working in the letterpress printing studio.
I’m a parent of some amazing young people, and often live the humbling experience of trying not to yell the words “NO YELLING!”
