My career to date has allowed me to wear many hats and learn from some of the best practitioners in the design industry. I have expertise in branding with a specialty in design strategy, graphic design, creative problem-solving, and brand thinking.
My passions include facilitating new processes, developing training modules, and educating and mentoring others to drive the profession and industry forward. I love to inspire and elevate the integrity of a thoughtfully designed world.
I have worked in ad agencies and for corporations fulfilling many in-house design functions. Most recently I worked for Procter and Gamble, the 77 billion dollar publicly traded company and the employee-owned branding agency, LPK. I also ran my own agency, Enjen, focused on designing purposeful brands for start-ups and not-for-profits.
A Midwest native, I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. In high school, I worked at a local pizza restaurant and, on graduation, became the manager. For those who knew me best, it was no secret that my favorite subjects were the arts and not necessarily business management so I enrolled in the Fine Arts program at the University of Cincinnati. After two years of undergrad, I gained admission to UC’s globally-renowned School of Design (DAAP), an intense, demanding, and expansive program. There I found my love for graphic design after taking my very first class in color theory.
Creative problem solving gives function to form, and this opened up a whole new world of possibilities — and five more years of school. I had entered one of the top five design schools, and felt grateful for the program demands, like alternating co-op quarters between school and the professional world. This allowed me to test the waters across many fields and functions within the graphic design industry.
A huge part of my job is starting with the end in mind. To create an experience that’s relevant to customers, I need an accurate understanding of their needs and expectations. From Shanghai to Singapore, Frankfurt to Caracas, I was able to engage with consumers and become their brand advocate. For instance, while working as the Global Creative Director of the Always brand, I spoke with women around the globe, learning about their lives, differing desires and established cultural needs.
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Right now I’m focused on understanding customer needs and desires and mastering the intricacies of the jewelry industry. I’m excited to learn a new industry while working in the largest jewelry manufacturer in the US. The reception from the Stuller team, both from my new colleagues as well as from the customers that I have had the pleasure of meeting, has been tremendous. The passion that drives the Stuller brand is contagious in everything that happens in the building.
Before moving to Lafayette, I lived in Chicago to work on my Master’s degree in Design, and I also lived in Manhattan where I worked at a small brand and design agency focused on CPG brands within Kimberly Clark and Con Agra. While in New York, I spent time consulting at Colgate Palmolive. I love the challenge of building bridges within large companies that bring its heart and soul to life.
I enjoyed living in major cities and feeling the constant frenetic energy that results when you access to so many resources. This transition to a quieter more personal experience has provided a lovely and much-needed change for my husband and myself. We love to explore new places, and we travel as much as we can. Our current goal — to see more of the United States — will start here in the South. We love hiking and the outdoors, and Lafayette is proving to be the central point from which to explore the region and culture. We are thrilled to be apart of an up and coming city poised for growth.
When we aren’t in Lafayette, we are in Cincinnati with my 11 year old stepson, Jaxon. He loves all sports and video games, so he travels well as long as he has a device close at hand. As a family, we enjoy bike riding and cooking. We appreciate the welcome that we have received from Stuller as well as our new home, Lafayette, Louisiana.
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Speaking of traveling, check out last week’s Feature Friday here.
