If you are looking for something short, I recommend my professional summary.

If you have some time, read on. 

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I was born in Washington DC but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. I moved to South Africa when I was 15 and got to skip 9th-grade making high school an entire blissful year shorter. I went to Rhodes University for Journalism where I specialized in writing and publication design. It was around my final year when I realized that I lacked the patience to become a truly great graphic designer, but at least I know my way around Photoshop and InDesign.

 

After graduating from university, I went back to the USA to try out my shiny new Journalism degree. Sadly, it was 2008, no one was hiring and I took a job with Enterprise Rent-A-Car (where they teach you to be your own boss). Not really what I was looking for long-term, but it did teach me some hardcore sales techniques which I have found to be exceptionally valuable throughout my career.

 

After a while, and for several reasons, I moved back to South Africa. There I landed what is still one of my favorite jobs at Strika Entertainment working with animation, comics, and illustration. I also met my marvelous husband there too. Then, as one does at 25, I made an unwise decision to leave because Groupon essentially offered to double my salary. I am proud to say though, that was the last time I ever made a decision purely based on money.

 

After discovering that Groupon was not the place for me (call it creative differences), I ventured into the wild world of freelancing. I had a good roster of clients and even a few on slightly more permanent retainers; however, what I lacked was other humans. I realized that I am not a solo artist and needed a band to thrive.

 

Then entered Design Indaba, which I adored. This small organization at the bottom end of Africa attracted the top creative minds on the planet (go check out their speaker lists). There was a conference and a publication and I was able to have an impact on both. Here’s the thing about being around all those incredible people – you start to realize that you are kind of the cheerleader-on-the-sidelines and not actually in the game, which is sort of what Journalism is too (up for debate). It did, however, reignite my love affair with content creation.

 

In my journey to become a creator again, I found advertising - pretty much the only place where creativity came fully funded in South Africa. I found a home in M&CSaatchi. First in the start-up servicing Africa, then in the main agency out of Johannesburg. I found my stride in the digital realm creating ads, branded content, social series, and growing an entirely new division within the agency from scratch. I had a team of over 30 talented creatives, strategists, social & community managers under me as a fully-fledged Partner in the agency. (At the time I was the youngest Partner in the agency’s history, but now another person has taken the youngest title.)

 

That almost sounds like a happily ever after, right? Well, it’s actually just the beginning. Remember that marvelous husband I mentioned? Well, he’s ridiculously talented and was offered an incredible opportunity here in the USA – so we immigrated.

 

I left M&CSaatchi Abel in capable hands, (although I have been freelancing with them since I resigned – so I am using the term “left” pretty loosely), and started working out how to get us overseas during a time when the world was pretty much closed for business. Good news – we figured it out, and we are HERE.

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Immigration is never super easy, but during a pandemic, holy cow, not recommended.

 

Now I am looking for the next great career adventure.

 

Definitely not a short story, but if you made it this far, you should have a good idea of who I am, what I’m all about, and how I got to where I am. The last few things you should know about me…

 

I really am a very happy person, I find humans fascinating and I adore them, I like my food spicy and I adore sports that require boards – though I'm not that great at any of them.

 

Reach out if you want to chat more.