MY BACKGROUND
A multi-passionate leader with a wide-range of experience.
COMPETENCIES
Building Products and Businesses
Digital transformation is more than just a facelift on customer-facing channels. It starts from the inside out. I help organizations with their digital transformation by building profitable digital products that users love AND building the “experience behind the experience”— a well-organized businesses that supports the delivery of these digital products.
Product Building Competencies
I build profitable digital products and experiences. These are places where prospects, customers, and fans interact with the brand. These include websites, web applications, microsites, and landing pages but also digital marketing channels like social, search, and email.
Business Building Competencies
Behind every great experience is an even better one. I am obsessed about building people, process, technology, structure, and cultures that enable an organization to build, manage, and continuously evolve the aforementioned experiences.
TRADITIONAL EXPERIENCE
A Business Builder
I have led UX and digital transformation efforts at a highly-matrixed, global enterprise, an established marketing agency, a freshly minted IPO, and a small, up-and-coming startup. From strategy to execution, I often work in the sweet spot between business, technology, marketing, design, and data.
2016 - Present
UX Manager / Product Manager
At Caterpillar, I lead vision and strategy across several digital marketing channels, including Cat.com, the corporations’ primary destination for marketing content with more than 1M visitors monthly.
2013 - 2016
Digital Director
At Simantel, a well-respected, award-winning marketing agency, I led a team of digital strategists, communication strategists, and UX professionals. As the agency’s client needs evolved, I helped them expand their digital capabilities and build the people, processes, technology, structure, and culture to support it.
2009 - 2013
Marketing Agency Owner
I started, grew, and sold a web design and digital marketing agency, Edit-Ability, which serviced more than 100 small businesses websites. Scaling the business was my biggest challenge. I had to revamp my delivery model and technology platform to do it.
2007 - 2011
Management Consultant / Analyst
I provided strategic guidance and analytical support to Aventine, a freshly-minted IPO who was a leader in the renewable energy industry. During the 2008 financial collapse, the company experienced bankruptcy and was acquired by a competitor, all of which provided me with great learning opportunities. At Aventine, I spearheaded multiple cross-departmental projects within Logistics, Marketing, Manufacturing, Finance, and Information Technology business units.
2006 - 2007
Change Management Specialist
At Caterpillar, I planned change management efforts for several global Six Sigma initiatives that redefined business operations and SAP technology. Scope included more than 400 business users throughout 12 manufacturing facilities, 5 business units, and 5 countries.
2000 - 2006
Management Consultant
I worked as a contractor for several small, local businesses comprehensive business and marketing plans increased revenue, managed expenses, and as a result, drove profitability and maximized business growth.
NON-TRADITIONAL EXPERIENCE
A People Builder
I believe in building people. Not only are they the bedrock of our organizations, but the most rewarding thing in the world is to watch a person see in themselves the talent that world already sees in them. In the spirit of building people, I often give back to the business and UX community through education and mentorship.
Adjunct Professor
As Adjunct Professor at Midstate College, I have provided instruction to junior and senior level business students, both online and on-site for 10+ years. Courses include: Marketing Management; Financial Management; Business Ethics; Microeconomics; Business Math; Leadership & Motivation.
Author & Writer
As an Author and Writer, I have shared practical guidance to help others craft innovative marketing strategies. From 2009-2013, I ran a small blog called “Small Business, Big Voice” which focused on online marketing techniques. In 2012, I published a book titled Inbound Marketing in a Box.
Speaker & Trainer
As a Speaker and Trainer, I have been honored to share my passion for business, technology, marketing and design at conferences, workshops, and classrooms.
Most recently, at Caterpillar, have had the honor of traveling the world to deliver an immersive leadership workshop to high-potential women leaders.
EDUCATION & SKILLS
A Knowledge Builder
In and out of the classroom, I am committed to expanding my knowledge and growing as a professional. Throughout my career, I have invested hundreds of hours to ongoing professional development including workshops, conferences, & formal short courses.
Education
MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Franklin University, Columbus, Ohio. 2007.
BACHELORS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Midstate College, Peoria, Illinois. 2004.
Training & Certifications
- User Experience Certification, Neilsen Norman Group, 2017.
- Oracle Eloqua Marketing Cloud Certifications, 2014.
- Certified Associate in Project Management, Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Modeling & Projecting Financial Statements, KPMG Executive Education Programs.
- Various Organizational Change Management Workshops, Caterpillar University.
Skills
Management Skills
Relationship Management |. Project Management. | Change Management | Financial Management | Innovation Management | Communications | Training
UX/ UI Skills
User Research | Persona Development | Customer Value Mapping (CVM) | User Story Creation | Storyboarding | Wireframing | Rapid Prototyping | Usability Testing | Task Analysis | Split Testing |Requirements Gathering & Documentation | Sitemaps | Information | Architecture Planning | Interaction Modeling
General Marketing Skills
Digital Strategy | Content Strategy | Branding Strategy. | Communication Strategy | Design
Digital Marketing Skills
Web Development | UX/UI Design | Marketing Automation | Social Media Marketing | Mobile Marketing | Digital Advertising | Search Marketing | Email Marketing | Web Analytics
Programing Languages
HTML5 / CSS3 | Javascript/ Jquery | PHP / MySQL
Technologies
Adobe Experience Manager | WordPress | Eloqua | Salesforce