Let's Talk... 

About any topic. In any industry. In any format. I'll see you. The real you. Maybe the you you don't always show.  Interpreting other humans at depth is a skill I've honed like a young Beatrix Kiddo under stern hand of Pai Mei.

I began in journalism, witnessing experiences and describing them. Then tech PR & marketing, shaping perceptions and images. And politics, crafting an entire gestalt for a one-chance-only user decision. And event production, building real, live, tangible human experiences. And digital interactive campaigns, building real, live, virtual human experiences. Then product development and branding, creating that experience your user takes home and lives with every day.

I’m educated in journalism, political science, UX design/research/ethnography, and I’ve taught graduates community building.

I've been the client and the agency. High tech Fortune 50 and analog non-profits. Big stunts and nuanced strategies. Tons of start-ups. Huge events. 

I deciphered the spin of politicians. I stared down poker pros moving all-in. Walked miles in the shoes of the richest rich and the downest out. Trump voters and Bernie voters. Burners and Yuppies. I'm a little bit country. I'm a little bit rock 'n roll. 

I written, designed and managed the news. Websites. Blogs. Social posts. Ad copy. Press releases. Email newsletters. Scripts. Memos. Speeches. Powerpoints. Manuals. Thought leadership. Earned media.

High tech. Low tech. Specialized audiences. Mainstream audiences. Highbrow. Lowbrow. Formal. Slang. Clear. Jargon.

I’ve been hands-on, in the trenches. I’ve been field general, guiding the troops.

I create experiences with words, pixels, photography, design, events and research. I do everything under the marketing umbrella. I specialize in the organized chaos of the bootstrapped organization that needs more than it has the resources to get...organizations that need all-hands-on-deck mercenaries who can fill all the gaps.  

Core Competencies

UX.

Over my entire career I've been called on to Discover, Define, Design and Deliver. I researched audiences, identified personas, developed logos, tones and brands, wireframed prototypes, and created deep user experiences. But it was never called UX. In 2016 I added the formal training to bring a lifetime of work together.  

Social.

Many of my 80+ strategic campaigns have been on a political stage. Grassroots organization and community-building is second nature. I've taught the subject on the graduate level, and as business has learned the importance of viewing customers as community members, I've transplanted that experience to the private sector. 

Media.

I began my career as a newsprint journalist, segued to PR exec, marketer, digital interactive director, and ultimately entrepreneur. I make the catchy one-liner, the full thought piece, or the viral video. I've built the website, the logo, and the brand. When a bootstrapped organization couldn't always afford a specialist, I did it. All of it.

Social Media.

I was doing social media before it existed (ask me about my printed "'Zine" where I published friends' status updates).  I have managed more than 40 channels, curating content, creating digital assets, cultivating engagement, and running analytics. If you can be an "expert" in a field that’s only 10 years old and constantly changing, I am. 

My Value Proposition:

• I have produced over 80 strategic & creative campaigns overall.

• I have interviewed more than 10,000 people. 

• I've worked in every medium, and taken on literally every media/marketing/UX role, as well as various all-hands-on-deck needs. 

• I've served agency-side, client-side, as an independent consultant, and as owner/entrepreneur.

• I've worked almost exclusively in start-up environments.

• I’ve organized campaign crews of 100+ people, managed teams of 10+, been a direct report and mentor, and managed vendors, agencies, subcontractors, clients, execs and stakeholders.

• I’ve managed more that 40 social media channels, from daily maintenance to a full Facebook-based campaign for HP Palm.

• I have a multi-industry experience in CPG, food & beverage, mobile devices, music, copyright, healthcare, fitness, consumer electronics, apparel, airlines, labor, education, land use, hospitality and e-commerce.

• I have taught grassroots community organizing on the graduate level. 

• I fill gaps in bootstrapped organizations that need more from their people than resources will allow.

With Experience In:

Writing
Branding
Visual Design
Logo & Style Development
Web Design & Development
iOS App Design
Social Media
Public Relations
Advertising
Experiential Marketing/Events
Email Marketing Research/Analytics
Interactive Multimedia
Public Affairs
Government Relations
Copyright/Licensing
Print Journalism
Photography/Video
Scripting/Editing
UX Research & Design
Sketch, Photoshop & Most UX Tools
User Research, Personas
Wireframing & Prototyping
Usability Testing

As Director of Marketing for NAI Northern California, I led a three-person marketing team responsible for both the overall branding & communications for the company as well as servicing more than 100 independent broker-clients in marketing each of 150+ individual commercial real estate assets for sale.

Upon arrival I immediately initiated a full re-branding of the brokerage. The CRE industry has been one of the slowest to be “disrupted” by technology or adopt modern innovations, and NAI’s internal and external communications were both glaringly dated, particularly for a company operating in the Bay Area epicenter of design, UX, and data advancement.

Within just six months, I led:

• The complete rebranding and refresh of our company ID

• The redesign of property marketing documents

• The redesign of the company website (as well as creating the company’s first employee intranet)

• Email redesign and open/click data applications

• The creation of multiple style guides (brand, language, photography)

• A new workflow system and broker marketing support ticketing system

• Lead generation and data analytics systems

• Strategic messaging, PR, and blog content

• The relaunch of social media channels and community outreach

• Internal messaging and a company newsletter

• The creation and presentation of company annual meeting

As marketing head for Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery, I’ve been a one-man, full-service department responsible for everything under the marketing umbrella. Everything as in Everything. Comprehensive. Categorical. Complete. Hunnit. Everything. Everything. *Everything.*

I led the product development, design, branding, packaging, and marketing — and initiated and built the partner relationship — that attached our beer to the SFMOMA opening of its Magritte exhibit. THEN I placed that story in TIME Magazine (above) and led the campaign that won it honors at the California State Fair.

I did all the same plus managed PR and crisis management for the most talked-about cease-and-desist letter ever written. I conceptualized and executed our one-of-a-kind “ICO” campaign that synergized product release with crowdfunding, raising $500,000 in just 3 weeks. I led the opening a new location that placed us among SF’s hottest venues. I headed widespread philanthropic efforts. I redesigned and rebuilt the website (twice). I led our Founders Club affinity program. I managed online customer relations and fulfillment. I owned all email marketing. I was integral to lifting garage start-up to major player.

As co-creator of experiential marketing firm Project Sport, I created massive-scale marquee experiences for over 10 years. Our US Half Marathon (now the SoFi Golden Gate Half) led 10,000 runners over the Golden Gate Bridge annually. Our San Rafael Twilight Criterium fielded pro cycling’s best, including Olympians and National Champions. We produced as many as 11 events annually, partnered with the Amgen Tour of California, worked with some of the country’s top brands, and in 2012 sold our first event to create the iconic Rock ‘n’ Roll San Francisco, generating $1.2M revenue. In 2013 we entered the concert & festival field bringing rock icon Bret Michaels to The City. In 2014 we sold the firm to Los Angeles-based production company OmniForce, LLC.  

As a marketing and social consultant for The Rights Workshop, I promoted a prominent music supervision and copyright clearance firm placing music in film, advertising and multimedia projects, as well as their subsidiary music discovery offering, mySpoonful, and international music discovery and licensing site Seven Seas Music. Here I marketed such projects as Paul McCartney’s “Kisses on the Bottom” documentary, Alice Waters’ audiobook "The Hidden World of Girls," the forefather of “viral” videos, and the greatest ski movie segment of all time...

Lifesquare was a Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers company founded in 2011 by a multidisciplinary team from Stanford University. Its technology utilized a proprietary scanning system based on QR codes to provide a portable, cloud-based personal health record and to relay essential health information to healthcare providers. As Director of Communications and Marketing I was responsible for all internal and external communications, including product development, UX, product launch, grassroots public outreach and government relations for a county-wide pilot product launch. 

See Marin Independent Journal coverage
See CBS5 Coverage

At the digital agency Isobar, I led a groundbreaking Facebook-based interactive campaign (see Mashable and TechCrunch) for Hewlett Packard’s then newly-acquired Palm Pre smartphone. We gave 500 phones away to good causes across five DMA’s (via an in-person distribution road show), then told the stories behind each organization through the phones’ mobile tools. The campaign’s cornerstone was a custom built interactive Facebook app, with support across all social media and via traditional PR. 

Key Metrics:

Weekly FB Impressions: 1.1M
YouTube Views: 362K
Net Positive Twitter Sentiment: +29% #Palmcnx Tweet Mentions: 2300
“Palm Connections” Media Mentions: 2700+ 

Undergrad

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Dual degree, Journalism (Ad/PR emphasis) & Political Science 

Reporter, Iowa State Daily

On Air Talent, KUSR Radio

Teaching

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
Graduate Program in Public Affairs & Practical Politics

Adjunct Professor (Grassroots Organization & Community Outreach)

Grad School

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Political Campaigning Program

Graduate Assistant, SunOne online news 

Graduate Assistant, KUFL Radio

Bootcamp

DESIGNLAB

UX Academy