The Introduction:
If we are getting right down to it, you could say the passion I possess is nearly tangible. To me, there is nothing more exciting than being around a group of motivated individuals who are driven to complete a goal. I take great pride in being part of a team and trust in my ability to deliver and ensure goals are met or surpassed. Furthermore, I want to be among those who share the same desire to grow – together.
In roles both past and present, I have found ways to incorporate my artistic side and creativity into more structured settings. My roles tend to consist of multifarious duties that touch on varied skillsets, allowing me the chance to work with other teams and acclimate to new tasks quickly. I am a natural contributor and enjoy working with others to find the right solution. An important aspect that I have learned about myself through my positions is my ability to learn and adapt coupled with the desire to keep learning; something important I have learned about others is that you can find a resolution to an issue if you listen closely enough. I find progression thrilling and look for any opportunity to add more skills to my plate along the way.
Beyond my love of finding creative solutions, my strong organizational skills and impressive memory are just a few things that set me apart. I find great value in feedback and collaborating with those around me to find creative, sustainable solutions that make a difference for the customer, employee, and company.
The Self-Interview:
Q: What are you passionate about outside of work?
A: There is no shortage of things I lend passion to; I enjoy taking up space on the dance floor, attending concerts, learning about transportation & smart cities, painting, spending time in nature, free-flow writing, learning languages, sharing laughs with friends, and consuming a delicious meal. I’m also quite fond of finding ways to incorporate sustainable solutions in my daily life by recycling or re-purposing anything I can.
As my professional career grows along with my love for design, I have found I get a major kick out of creating info-graphics and making data more digestible via design. I can get absolutely lost in this activity and think it would be fantastic to do on a larger level.
I have been utilizing Canva for years and have gained the ability to create great designs in a short period of time. Give me a few paragraphs and I’ll give you a visual. Looking for an example or need an idea? Let me know.
Q: It seems like you enjoy filling roles that offer you a lot of flexibility; explain how that’s going for you.
A: I’m not sure it ever intends to start out that way. If a need is not being fulfilled or there is room for improvement, and that need is pivotal to ensuring future success, I assume the responsibilities to ease that issue. This tends to be one of my best and worst qualities because it means I’m taking on another project, however, has allowed me to pursue other roles or gain skills I may not have been able to obtain otherwise.
I do not like hearing people say “that’s not my job”. The way I see it, is that I am willing to do just about anything that needs to get done and I do not like being put in a box. That does, however, come with a price, both monetarily and professionally. It is quite fascinating to build an array of skills that don’t collectively fit nicely within a job description - you realize you can do all these things, but are unsure of how to package them up nicely on a resume. I love learning, I love growing, and I refuse to stay stagnant for long. I guess you could say I do my best to create my own progression within my roles and I have a pretty good track record of doing just that.
Q: Have a book or podcast you’d recommend?
A: Books: How We Are Hungry is a selection of short stories that all hit in their own way; Devil In the White City captures two elements at once, celebrating triumph and unraveling local horrors. Both are great reads.
How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggers
Devil In The White City by Erik Larson
Podcasts: Where to even begin? I love keeping a finger on the pulse when it comes to current events, exploring the way we think, and of course, industry goodies. Talk Talent To Me provides a fantastic insight into the current world of talent acquisition and hiring (which is something I dabble in professionally and am very interested in from a personal standpoint). Hidden Brain delves into various topics that allows us to think about things a bit differently (and will give you something to talk about at the next party you attend).
Talk Talent To Me
Hidden Brain
The Daily or Up First
Q: What sports did you participate in growing up?
A: I started competitively figure skating at age four and continued on an Olympic path until I hung up the skates just before high school. Then, softball, soccer and cheerleading took up the competitive slots in my life, while piano and theatre were my structured creative pursuits. While I enjoyed solo sports, I love being part of a team. I still love playing (or watching) just about any sport I am able.
Q: What is something you heard recently that stood out to you?
A: During a recent episode of Talk Talent To Me, one of the guests, Tara Turk-Haynes, discussed the importance of being on the same page when it comes to the language we use, specifically in the work place; for example, when a company says something like “culture” or “an A-Candidate”, what does that mean and does it have the same meaning to all employees? While we often think we have the same concept in our head when we say certain words or phrases, when we break down what we think it means to each individual, we find that our thoughts aren’t as aligned as we thought. This is where it’s important to discuss what our language means so that everyone can work better together and have less misunderstandings.
I have this conversation with candidates often; they’ll say something like, “tell me more about the culture” and I’ll say “Let’s make sure we are on the same page with that word and let me tell you what it means here at this company…”
This is what I love about industry-focused podcasts - you can hear one great piece of information or insight and it changes the way you frame questions and have conversations. It’s an awesome exchange of information.
Q: Name an album you think everybody would enjoy.
A: The North Borders by Bonobo. It is superb; go buy it and give it a listen.
Q: Best meal you’ve ever had in Chicago?
A: Hands down - the pairing menu at Oriole; the day after 2016 Election Day (when we all needed a serious pick-me-up).
Q: What is the most unique spot you have traveled to?
A: Malta; I was lucky enough to spend 10 days there on a field study when I was 19. I think about that trip at least once a week and long to go back. It contains not only the world’s oldest free standing structures, but fantastic people and incredible scenery.
Q: Favorite concert you’ve attended most recently?
A: Tedeschi Trucks Band - no doubt. I saw them twice during their Chicago January residency at the Chicago Theatre. Both shows were mind-blowing and in fact, after seeing them the first time it pushed me over the edge to finally buy an electric guitar; which I’ve been actively playing over the last few months. Their second show covered every jam and cover I could have wanted them to play (including ‘Midnight In Harlem’, ‘Do I Look Worried’, ‘The Letter’, ‘I Pity The Fool’, and ‘Whipping Post’) and I feel extremely lucky I finally had the chance to see them not only once, but twice. Susan and Derek are not only extremely talented (as is the rest of the band), but they have a palpable chemistry that is a blast to watch.
Q: You mentioned languages…what are you currently learning?
A: I started learning Russian after I took a Russia in International Politics course in 2017; once I graduated university and had a bit more time to devote to language learning, I dove head-first into Spanish while still practicing my Russian; from there, I started learning Swahili, Latin, German, and a few others (Navajo, Japanese) just to dabble. I love Latin because I really like origin/root words and seeing how they evolve in other languages. I use Duolingo and highly recommend using it if you’re considering learning; watch out - it becomes addictive!
Q: One hangout spot you’d recommend for anyone?
A: Bitter Pops; they are located in a prime spot right off the Paulina brown line in the Lakeview area; 15+ taps, killer bites, fire place, outdoor patio, coffee, and a top notch crew. Plus, you’re likely to meet some fantastic people, whether they be staff members or customers.
Q: Best concert you’ve been to?
A: I literally did this to myself. Okay. I’m giving you my top 10 (in date order). If you’d like, send me yours!
This was a near impossible task, but it helps us get to know each other, right? I liked all of these shows for different reasons; either I went with stellar company, loved the setlist, met the artist, was stunned visually, got to go on stage, or just was smacked by the beat in a whole new way.
Rusted Root, House of Blues, 12/28/2008
Phish, Toyota Park, 6/11/2010
Florence + The Machine, Chicago Theatre - WXRT Holiday Concert, 10/4/2011
Amon Tobin, The Congress Theatre, 10/21/2013
Paul McCartney, Lollapalooza 7/31/2015
Joan Armatrading, City Winery, 10/9/2015
Alabama Shakes, Chicago Theatre, 3/14/2015
Natalie Merchant, Chicago Theatre, 7/9/2017
David Byrne, Auditorium Theatre, 6/2/2018
Dave Matthews Band, Northerly Island, 6/29/2018
Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chicago Theatre, 1/29/2022
Education
Northeastern Illinois University
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Summa Cum Laude, Alpha Chi
2017-2020
College of DuPage
Associates Degree, General Studies
2006-2009
