BRAND STORY & POSITIONING | VOICE | PRESENTATION COPY > Copywriter | Co-CD

Two new brands will soon launch that live up to the Anthropologie promise and reward of eclectic, quality-cozy looks. One is Resort, the other Intimates. Both have the potential to open as a stand-alone shop, so they should feel like their own entity vs. playing small or depend upon Anthro surroundings. The spirit? Liberating, fashion-forward, carefree, details matter. “If I’m going to impress anyone or even think about that…it’s going to be me first…I am my own stylist with access to the accessible quality of Anthro. “

BRAND DEVELOPMENT / VOICE & MESSAGING / SEO CONTENT, WEBSITE / CAMPAIGNS / SOCIAL > CD/ Writer.

Virginia MOCA is a contemporary art museum located down the road from Virginia Beach. Part down-to-earth ethos, part exceptional art of national resonance, Virginia MOCA is home to the vibrant art of today, as well as a welcome to what art can be.

Alongside the talented team of Joe Lalich and Shavrick & Partners, we partnered with the museum’s leadership to develop a new, multi-faceted identity to work across a multi-media world, we were excited to take on difficult challenges, such as putting into words the elusive experience that is the inner world of art, to releasing pre-conceived notions about what a museum is and what function it should hold in society. After an extensive process, Shavrick & Partners developed a new brand, its voice, website, and social media guidelines to open dialogue, celebrate art and make in-roads on sticky wicket issues—to talk social justice, race, oppression, local stigma, and the marginalized artist.

BRAND DEVELOPMENT | MANIFESTO | BRAND VOICE, TONE & MESSAGING | BRAND BOOK & EXPRESSIONS > Copywriter/ Co-CD. This Is What Happens When Women Read is a global force for liberation through literature. It serves women worldwide who want to find deeper meaning beyond the boxes that oppressive, religious systems have tried to put them in. They have a yearning to unlock what is powerful, beautiful and true in them and are looking for pathways to get there. Because of the Founder’s own story and experience within American Evangelicalism, TIWHWWR knows that it can uniquely speak to women coming from that system. However, its work and message is universal, built for any woman looking to find her own autonomy and liberation. 

BRANDING, INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN > Creative Director/ Copywriter.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium—that gem on the coast—was facing a tricky year; with new, increased ticket prices, and without the pull of a brand new exhibit to showcase. Not to mention, the reality of a 3-hour drive from Portland to get to the Aquarium. This can make for a hard sell for families who have limited vacation time and dollars (not to mention "Are we there yet?!" kids in the backseat). To combat those challenges, our team at Grady Britton wanted people to value the Aquarium in a whole new way. We thought it time to showcase its educational value, as well as its entertainment value. Here’s a chance for families to learn something new, engage their brains, even have fun as parents combat the dreaded “b” word—boredom happens on rainy weekends—all with a good use of discretionary income. In short, we wanted to inspire people to become marine ambassadors. We developed an integrated campaign that utilized highly visible billboard and transit placements that brought the wonder of the Aquarium’s animals to people along the routes from Portland all the way to Newport. The media worked to capture people’s attention along commuting routes—taking advantage of Portland’s sometimes less-than-swift traffic flow. 

We inspired 32.5 million parents, kids, and Aquarium fans to experience the wonders of the Oregon Coast and her creatures.

We garnered 32,565,287 impressions in the short space of five months, accomplishing an 85% reach and 14x frequency.

A 5% YOY attendance lift for the Oregon Coast Aquarium (early summer increase was 8% prior to an eclipse attributed August downturn)

We also won the AMA PDX MAX Advertising award, and The Oregon Outstanding Integrated Advertising Award hosted by the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

BRAND STORY & TAGLINE DEVELOPMENT | CAMPAIGN PLATFORMS | COPY & MESSAGING > CD, Sr. Copywriter

When women come together, it can make everything a little better. This is a sparkling wine that celebrates that. Every bottle holds the “collective effervescence” of women coming together. Created by the sister / brother team who brought The Riddler champagne bar to much-beloved-life in SF and NYC (they closed during the pandemic and put all efforts into a bottle), this is sparkling wine made by women winemakers and supporting women-centered charitable causes. This is the winning (almost) platform concept, of the four we presented. We created a call-to-action that marks the experience—it’s bubbly, fun to share, and just French enough, to feel like them. For now, it’s on ice (see what I did there?)

NAME GENERATION | BRAND BUILD & BOOK | VOICE & TONE > CD, Copywriter

Worked with this startup for matching family pajamas. Super early seed-stages so limited as to what I can share here.

CAMPAIGN / COPY

As Will Ferrel said on Smartless, Pun intended folks. Sometimes it’s just about keeping it simple. Plastic Sunshine always has a way of rocking the Portland aesthetic.

SOCIAL CAMPAIGN | FB & IG > Concepts & Copy.

WHA is the largest women-owned, womxn-centric healthcare provider west of the Mississippi. Excited to get back to in-person appointments—and welcoming new doctors, nurse-midwives and practitioners to the family, we created ads that champion their unique spirit in a voice that people with a uterus can appreciate. And connect them with a doctor that gets it.

BRANDING | INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN | VR > CD/ Copywriter.

I moved to Portland from the woods of New Hampshire and found myself of the target audience I would be concepting and writing for—newbies to the one-of-a-kind Portland. (Don’t get me wrong, having lived in Austin and New York, Portland feels like their lovechild of the west coast, but of course in its own Sasquatch hoodie.) In this case, we’re inspiring worldly meeting planner travelers to experience, first-hand(made) the creativity, multi-cultural zeitgeist that people from all over have come to love. And meeting planners are unsung magicians of the biz travel world. They’re the first ones to the office and the last one to leave. They’re pragmatists who have had their share of swag hit their desk, and handed to them at Vegas trade shows. So, we created a holiday just for them—Maker’s Day—and their very own cubicle makeover kit to honor it. (No stapler is complete without a handmade alligator sweater.) From transforming their website experience to designing the one-of-a-kind trade show space—doughnut headphones anyone?—to integrated campaigns including an anthem, animated ads, print, and emails that invite you to choose your own Portland experience, the new Let’s Portland! platform extends our best warm, only-in-Portland welcome. Since partnering with Grady Britton they’ve seen 127% increase in site traffic, and $37m contribute to community economic impact. I’ve worked on this account for almost 4 years now. And I still feel like a newbie, thanks to always-evolving Portland.

Last summer, we went into production for two VR experiences. This was an incredible undertaking. I’ve worked on plenty of TV spots, but I’d never concepted, scripted, cast and shot anything for VR before. It’s an entirely different skillset. Working alongside the fearless and talented team at Giant Astronaut, we created two 360 VR pieces that showcase the Top 10 After-hours hangouts in Portland as well as Castaway, an event space where Soul’d Out Music Festival was kicked off.

Be sure to have your settings adjusted in YouTube to 1080s and feel free to look around! Literally. Use your mouse or trackpad left, right, up, down to immerse yourself in Portland’s hotspots.

LONG-FORM BLOG CONTENT | SEO CONTENT > Writer | SEO Consultant.

American Giant (clickity click to see the work live here) makes top-quality knits, and yep, in the USA. What’s more American these days, than their “world’s best hoodie”? Pickleball. We wrote content to support the new collection, just in time for the holiday gift guide. I also provided SEO support for meta descriptions, titles and article keyword ranking. Dink-ing is fun way to spend your writing day.

BRAND POSITIONING | BRAND STRATEGY | BRAND VOICE & VERNACULAR | COPY > Copywriter | Co-CD.

Look good. Feel good. Do good. Since Bryiana Dyrdek was a young girl, she didn’t feel she could create anything without this sincerely at the heart of it. Today that girl is with IB everywhere she goes. In 2014, a new kind of girl gang was born. A community of women believing in each other, their own personal promise—and their wildest dreams. Bryiana has always had an unwavering commitment to this different type of ‘beauty’. Yet it wasn’t until she embraced her own personal growth and unbridled passions for a better life that she found the girl she always knew was there. She set out to create, inspire, and give back. Today, Iconic Beauty is growing with Bryiana. Building communities, personal dreams, and product offerings. And while she’s always shared the journey with women from diverse backgrounds and perspectives—everyone needs their own corner! — IB also knows they’re not for everyone. And they’re okay with that. As for all those kindred spirits they’ve yet to meet…they can’t wait to welcome you!

Thanks to Letter A Branding Agency for the invite to this party!

BRAND LAUNCH | BRAND BOOK | COPY > Co-CD, Sr Copywriter.

What makes Curamia a fresh take on tequila? Champagne is so 2022. But more than that. It’s good enough to sip. It’s made in Mexico, by Mexicans. And it’s female founded and funded. Not like the typical machismo, celeb bottles that you’ve come to know and prolly like a lot. Well it’s also freaking delicious. I was brought in by the wonder women of By Deerfield to help bring the brand to life with voice, tone and several brand campaign platforms. Dafna Mizrahi, the 30-year-old former Chopped champion and restauranteur, is the life force behind the magical liquid. Curamia is awaiting its next wave of VC, and available on line if you wanna try a bottle.

BRAND POSITIONING | SOCIAL CAMPAIGN PLATFORMS > Copywriter. I hadn’t tried this top shelf, mountain style bourbon and rye from Sisters, Oregon, before getting the brief. I have tried many of its competitors. I like the brown stuff. So, when the ask was Make Broken Top THE whiskey for women, I knew we had to go deeper than tasting notes and cask quality. I started with a proper tasting. Sometimes your job entails doing the dirty work. We started with a universal tagline Cut by the Cascades, an anthem, social campaign platforms and yes, tasting notes. The tagline made it to their latest label for small batch (squint real hard and you’ll see it). Packaging copy/ the tasting notes? I’ll give you a sip here:

Broken Top Straight Rye

Mash bill, American-grown rye

43.75% Alcohol

87.5 Proof

Nose

The most memorable folks, stories, flavors have layers. Sweet, floral, and aromatics of mature maple invite you in.

Taste

Baked caramel and vanilla picks up the pace with a complex bouquet of spice and smoky overtones.

Finish

Unwinds evenly, elegantly. This is the long trail in the woods, to home.

Takeaway

Introduce it to your favorite classic Manhattan or craft cocktail and enjoy its collaborative personality.

BRAND LAUNCH | VOICE & TONE | WEB & SOCIAL | EMAIL CAMPAIGN | PACKAGING COPY > Copywriter

Element X Skincare launched with one small, but mighty, bar of soap. A ‘miracle soap’ for those struggling with ongoing skin irritations. True story? Our daughter’s eczema saw significant improvements with this little black bar of goodness. What’s the deal? Well it starts in the hills of South Korea, where they’ve formulated X-Tract™—a proprietary fermentation process. Harnessing the genius of the ancient Dendropanax Morbifera (or the Panacea Tree), along with the active, healing properties of tea tree and citrus oils, this is a line of skin products that naturally—and effectively—target and treat your skin concerns.

I helped the startup with its brand voice, tone, brand book and initial launch campaign assets. Social posts are taking time to gain traction, but celeb groomers and those who’ve tried it, are in.

BRAND LAUNCH | INVESTOR DECK | CAMPAIGN PLATFORMS > Copywriter.

The visionary women of By Deerfield brought me in to help with this Y-Combinator seed-stage start up for Organic breast milk. Amazing female entrepreneurs from Harvard Business school, making their way. I love projects like this for the sheer creativity and energy.

BRAND DEVELOPMENT | MESSAGING. CD > Writer.

I was fortunate to be a committee member for the selection process of Grady Britton’s 2019 grant winner, providing the organization with $25,000 in-kind marketing and branding services.

After the devastating fire in 2017, Friends received a lot of attention and donations to help clean up the damage. The community was hurting. The land literally burning. But their work? So much more than repair; it’s about protection in the first place.

Friends operates as leaders-in-service to multiple communities — atypical to other conservation nonprofits, as protection of public lands is only one aspect of what they do. So after the fire, they emerged as the voice of reason and leader in the region, for diverse stakeholders with varying interests — some at odds with one another. It became clear we needed to help Friends understand what themes and insights were a key priority for who they were as an organization, as well as for their various audiences. We led brand workshops to surface and galvanize strong ideas and opinions so our brand positioning and thinking moving forward was aligned for them internally.

Friends then had their why. “To keep the Gorge a vibrant living place — wondrous, wild, and open to all — for future generations.” So we shifted to the creative expressions, or their how— voice, messaging, and an updated visual identity. As leaders not only in the wake of a crisis, but for future generations, we sought to enhance the vibrancy and versatility of the organization.

The descriptive name is something that worked in our favor. Friends of the Columbia Gorge spells out the who, so the messaging could lean on this, rounding out the story from different angles.

We also explored the rich territory of tone of voice. Friends staff needed guidance on best practices for communicating with all of its constituents, in practical, colloquial terms. We provided conversation-starters and short scripts based on themes highlighted in the workshops.

We also created a new illustrated logo. Due to the holistic approach of the Friends organization, their competitive landscape was quite complex. We had to consider a wide variety of contending entities in different industries when it came to design. Their existing identity did not convey the scope and professionalism in which Friends operate. So part of our creative challenge was to not only deliver a brand identity system that was distinctive in their field, but to demonstrate a level of validity to their audience. We also saw an opportunity to craft something aesthetically modern and future-facing — which none of their competitors were owning. Ultimately, our strategy was to build a brand identity that was simple, recognizable, and authoritative without sacrificing the friendly aspect of the organization.

BRANDING, DIGITAL > Senior Copywriter.

As member of the R/GA team who conceived, wrote and launched Target’s microsite, designforall.com, I was given the lead story, the newly designed ClearRx pharmacy bottle. Target launched the Design for All campaign to position the brand as a design leader and tout its belief that good design should be available to everyone. The microsite showcased many of Target's known designers, their products and stories. In addition to the site development and build, I interviewed ClearRx designer, Deborah Adler—and her design mentor, Milton Glaser, who hooked her up with Target to begin with. I went on to work in-house for Target creating concepts and name generation for Target soft lines & beauty. The microsite went on to win a Cannes Bronze Lion, among other awards and is now in the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award Gallery, NY.

PRODUCT LAUNCH > Creative Director/ Copywriter.

Bob’s is a beloved Northwest brand, known for its no-nonsense, clean ingredients. It’s not always the case that you can use genuine and brand in the same sentence. Launching their new protein powders to buyers was just as much about the embodying the ethos and character of Bob’s, as it is delivering the goods in a unique way. As a writer, it’s a fantastic day when you’re asked to execute such a finely-tuned tone. Bolo ties-off to Grady Britton who have partnered with Bob’s Red Mill since 2010 and invited me to the party.

BRANDING/ IDENTITY DESIGN > CD/ Copywriter

I worked alongside the original start-up team that designed the socially responsible lifestyle brand’s logo, values, and voice. Launching an accessory aimed at influencers, celebrities, and those looking to remember that balance is a daily practice, was an education. Today, it’s not uncommon to see it everywhere—on wrists from Justin Bieber, Cam Newton, to Kris Jenner. Lokai reaches over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and has donated over $8m in charitable donations since 2013.

BRAND DEVELOPMENT | DIGITAL | INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN > Creative Director/ Copywriter

Maybe it’s not the sexiest name, but it's not often you're invited to take on healthcare for Portland’s foremost, widely-respected, ladyparts provider. The inspired new voice and identity was activated across digital and social channels, targeted outdoor, transit and activations downtown and in the burbs.

Through discovery, we learned that even the most familiar images of women in everyday life, can be polarizing; especially for millennials. We leveraged the power of words instead, to say that no matter what your experience is or what your position may be, WHA is there to take care of you, minus the judgment or healthcare jargon.

We went to work creating the "Journey well" brand platform and identity. From the poignant to playful language, to the bold, graphic style, the campaign is designed to stand out from the clinical and sterile vibe of other healthcare providers, and ultimately reinforce WHA’s commitment to “liberating options” for all women—we accept women without judgment and provide the support and information they need to make decisions that are right for them.

Grassroots efforts led us to partner with a local bike delivery company to deck out their bike in hot pink and distribute “ladybits bags,” including nail polish, tampons, and maxi pads at local community events as well as at predominantly female staff offices. 

Results:

• 25.3M impressions throughout Portland

• 853% increase in post engagement

• 510% increase in Facebook post shares

• 196% increase in Facebook followers

• 1000+ Ladybits bags distributed to women in need

CAMPAIGN > Creative director/ Concept/ Copywriter. Most times, it’s the insight or brand “truth” that leads to a memorable idea. in this case, it’s just as much about what you see— Handmade Freed Point Shoes since 1929—as what you don’t see; the hard-earned corns, hammer toes and years of wear and tear. Just as well. I worked hard for my bunions, so it was personal experience that led me to this spec passion project. Art directed by the talented, and former partner, Seth Taylor of Austin.

DIGITAL, BRANDING, CONCEPTS > Senior Copywriter.

Pottery Barn Teen created its own online lifestyle and fashion hub called Stylehouse. The site and quarterly magazine featured teen celebs, room design hints, hacks and tips, and cool content for everything-teen. iCrossing NY brought me in to partner with the talented AD, Joe Lalich, who I still love to work with and can’t reco enough.

INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN > Senior Copywriter/ Concept. Pioneer and powerhouse of the green beauty industry, Aveda UK opens in Selfridges, London. Always popular backstage with stylists and make-up artists, these wall murals speak to Aveda's rich environmental heritage—and its ties to the fashion world. Working in-house for Aveda as a Sr. Copywriter, I was called on to name products, create campaigns, collateral, in-store signage, as well as write packaging copy, ingredient stories, romance copy, magazine copy, web copy, radio scripts, and score free stuff when lucky.

Senior Copywriter/Concept. When an entrepeuneur interviews writers from several disciplines—editorial, journalism, advertising—in the hopes of finding someone who can tell the 'real stories' of seven fledgling shoe designers with emotion and craft, I was curious to learn more about the project. Two and a half weeks later, I was in the air to Barcelona to conduct interviews with the emerging designers from the fashion houses of Versace, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Dries Van Noten, at their new Te Casan studio there. I was to capture who they were in unique profile formats for the Brand book, in-store signage, and PR campaign usage. I worked closely with Pompei AD, NY in the development of the book for Te Casan's first signature, multi-level flagship store in the heart of SoHo. As for the shoes ladies, collections ranged from crystal-encrusted stilettos to high-end technical trainers. Natalie Portman had a short-lived but beautifully realized line of vegan shoes that followed.

CONTENT STRATEGY, DIGITAL > Creative Director/ Copy & Copy support. Alongside the team at Grady Britton, and after a nine-year-old, work-horse of a website, it was finally time to rebuild. Extensive discovery and focus groups taught us that women wanted more from their health provider than just insurance and location info—although that was sorely in need of improvement too.

What would be great is understanding what to look for…a woman’s body is always changing. Life stages come with their own surprises. So, why not provide content that gives women a heads up on what changes, preventative screenings, tests and possible issues to look for? This is a once-in-a-lifetime client. They care about women. They listen. They walk the talk. Instead of waiting until “phase two” to run with juicy content (which has often been my experience in building sites), we launched with it.

Since the site launched, they’ve seen a 45% increase in site traffic.

BRAND REFRESH > Associate Creative Director/ Copywriter

In collaboration with Think Studio NYC, the legacy of the MH was given a new identity, logo, tag line, and the launch of new web site. Aside from shopping Bergdorf's or Barney's everyone asks, Is that a real Miriam Haskell?  In answer to the inevitable question, the fitting tag line "Yes it is" was born. The woman who flew to Paris to select pearls with Coco Chanel over tea created the legacy that is now collectible costume jewelry. The flagship label needed its own attention after time had been spent on a healthy list of licensed labels. To write about this fashion maven's history, I poured over coffee table books, lingered in the halls of the fashion district office, and watched who are but a few trained jewelry designers hand-bead the still hand-made works of MH.

DIGITAL | SOCIAL > Senior Copywriter / Concept

As part of the HUGE BK pitch team, we captured the bold, adventurous spirit with Daring Journeys: 6 Audi A6 cars in 6 cities. The locations are revealed on Twitter. Whoever finds the car must complete 3 dares. The dares are submitted and chosen by the Twitter followers. Success means the driver keeps the car. Failure means the process starts over. The entire journey is filmed from inside the cars. Social component invites players to follow A6DaringJourneys on Twitter to locate the cars and to keep up with the drivers as they perform the dares.

CAMPAIGN > Copywriter/ Concept

Southwest Air is taking the heat these days. For GSD&M, this ad is an example of how "writing" is just as much about editing—and stepping aside for the story. The branding challenge here was how to depict quirky Southwest Airlines as cultured and an integral supporter in the Arts scene. Ideas are really what it’s about. No matter what the medium—digital, social, tv, print—it’s the idea that carries it. This ad appeared in the Communication Arts Advertising Annual.

CAMPAIGN > Copywriter/Branding

New Orleans is lousy with that certain j’en sais quoi. This wild posting campaign speaks to my fondness for its patina and the birthplace of my Mama (French Quarter) and Daddy (Ninth Ward). Art directed/designed by Austin CD, Seth Taylor, we created this awareness campaign and logo design, for the New Orleans-based, only full-time professional orchestra in the Gulf South. Side note: Thankfully none of my 45 first cousins were harmed during Katrina. And as you may know, the music scene is only stronger since.

DIGITAL/ PRODUCT LAUNCH > Senior Copywriter

Web site, magazine launch. Worked with Mario Cubillos as writer and editor for this Brooklyn-based online art/surf magazine.

OUT OF HOME | Copywriter, concepts

Metropolitan Group, Portland. Just before the vaping scene became national news, Smoke Free Oregon had decided it was time to challenge Big Tobacco to stop targeting underage kids. Timing couldn’t have been better from a creative development standpoint. We were changing creative daily based on learnings. One thing didn’t change: Big Tobacco, now more than ever, is in the replacement business. Their very business model is predicated upon creating a new market in underage smokers to replace the customers who die as a result of nicotine addiction. They have no limits when it comes to protecting and increasing profits. Tactics include placing ads at the eye level of 9 years old kids in convenience stores, in or near the candy aisle, pushing flavors that appeal to kids more than adults or strong-arming local retailers who can’t afford to not carry their products. As it turns out, you need a fishing license to fish in the state of Oregon, a license to sell Christmas trees or own a dog. But you don’t need a license to sell tobacco. Moreover, BT has marketed to struggling communities and people in situations of stress for years. There’s no shortage of amazing anti-smoking campaigns. It’s all pretty much been done. We created a no-frills, down-to-earth campaign that delivers facts, hope and action that can be taken to address what affects everyone in Oregon.

CAMPAIGN > Creative Director/ Copywriter.

Democratic National Convention. A simple idea speaks to the complex issues that surround motherhood.

BRANDING, DIGITAL, ACTIVATION > Senior Copywriter

I worked with ignition, the global experiential agency to craft the manifesto. The world's largest dance party brought hundreds of thousands of teens together to make it happen, along with Tiesto, DeadMau5 and Skrillex.

Coke (RED) had a mission to usher in the first generation born free of AIDS, with zero deaths. I wanted to know. What happened? According to Avert.org, global info and education on HIV and AIDS, “Seven countries in East and Southern Africa had greater than 90% coverage of PMTCT services. This includes South Africa, which is home to 25% of the region’s pregnant women living with HIV. East and Southern Africa has achieved the largest decline in MTCT anywhere in the world, falling from 18% of infants born to mothers living with HIV in 2010 to 6% in 2015—a threefold decrease.” 28. I’m not disillusioned in thinking this site or these words had anything to do with this modicum of hope. I do think I learned something (thanks advertising?).

OBAMA, UN PRESENTATION | Scriptwriter

I was honored to have helped out on the script for this alongside my talented friend and director, the late Andrew Shapter. He joined Bono, C3 and the State Department to produce this piece encouraging other world leaders to step up and help refugee children and families find a safe home. It premiered during Obama’s final appearance at the United Nations.

BRANDING, CONTENT > Concept/ Copywriter

There are still some folks who say "small" vs. "tall," and love the ritual of home brewed coffee. These spots capture the real side of Eight O'Clock coffee.

LONG-FROM BLOG | INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN > Senior Copywriter

I was a travel blogger for the Discover America Road Trip crew and Geometry Global. Brand USA partnered with Google, Spotify and Enterprise Rent a Car for this one. We covered the Pacific Coast Highway, the Texas BBQ belt and the Hana Highway for international travelers. A memorable project for its tight deadlines, teamwork and eye-opening views of our country.

BLOG POSTS | LONG FORM > Copywriter

COMING SOON

PHOTO ESSAY | Photographer

Sanctuary was an ethnographic photo essay that sought to dispel the notion that New Hampshire is a homogenous place to live. After I moved there with my family from lower Manhattan, I was struck by the growing diversity in nearby Concord and Manchester. Around the same time, I had some NYC street work hung at a pop-up gallery. I was approached by the Manchester Arts Commission to photograph what was at the time, the new population of refugees and immigrants for an upcoming show at the local City Hall. Manchester was one of the few sanctuary cities in New England. They came to live in New Hampshire from as far away as Africa, Bosnia, Bhutan, Iraq, Nepal, and Turkey. These are a few selects.

Each subject was shot on 35mm film with natural light, and handheld, using a Nikon FM2. All lenses are manual. I’m a self-taught photographer, inspired by numerous mentors, some living and working in LA and NYC, others whose legacy I admire, like Irving Penn, Henri Cartier-Bresson and the raw spirit of Elliot Erwitt’s street snaps.

Many of these photos, along with others from the shoot, hung as OOH posters throughout Manchester for the TEDx Inside Out Project.

POETRY | Poet, Director & Curator of Reading Series

Work has or will appear in Berkeley Poetry Review, Liminal Spaces Magazine, Ethel, Poetry International, The Cultural Society, Zone 3, Scapegoat Review and others. I founded and curated the Datum:Earth Reading Series after earning my MFA in Poetry, introducing poets & writers to the Monadnock region of New England. Check out www.datumearth.blogspot.com for details, bios, and the occasional cool poster.

SWEET SPOTS

• Fresh thinking & language, curiosity & culture 

• Conceptual, strategic ideas

• A storyvore—I love to write—brand work, integrated campaigns, taglines, scripts, websites, experiential—& poetry when no one’s looking (or paying)

• Short to long form. SEO Content consultation and writing

• Pitch-happy. Seasoned presenter. Budget conscious.

• Listening. To C-level Execs, kiddos, strangers, rain and Funk

• B corp., big agency, start-up, non-profit & client-side savvy

• Leading accounts & driving a creative vision—from small budgets to $800k annual business 

• Developed agency-wide process plan with Executive Leadership

• Annoyingly high standards for accuracy and quality

ROLES 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ ACD/ SR. WRITER > Grady Britton, PORTLAND, OREGON, 2015-2019

SR. WRITER/ FREELANCE > Skype, Nike, razorfish, Publicis, MDC Partners, R/GA, HUGE, Digitas, Geometry Global, Tribal DDB, New York & Boston, 2002-2015

SR. WRITER/ ACD > Publicis Modem Media, New York & East Norwalk, 2000-2002

CLIENTS

HOSPITALITY—1 Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott, Starwood

TECH—Trend Micro/ Amazon Web Services, Skype, Amplify, IBM

RETAIL—Columbia Sportswear, Target, Nike, PBTeen, Aveda, Ann Taylor, Adidas

TRAVEL & TOURISM—Travel Portland, Brand USA, Delta, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Marriott

CPG—Une Femme Wines, Curamia, Bob’s Red Mill, Unilever, Snickers, Kraft, Lipton, Coke (Red), Heineken

LUXURY—Christie’s, Perrier-Jouët, D’Usse, elit by Stoli, Audi, Miriam Haskell

BEAUTY—Aveda, L’Oréal, Estee Lauder, CHANEL, Lancôme, Maybelline

HEALTHCARE—Aflac, Women’s Healthcare Associates, Merck

NON-PROFIT/ B CORP—Friends of the Columbia Gorge, Boys & Girls Club, Herb Pharm, NHPR

SCHOOL

New England College > M.F.A in Creative Writing: Poetry
Loyola University > B.A. Double major: Philosophy & Communications.
Tulane University > Dance minor. Newcomb Dance Company.

ohAND

Industry honors > Cooper Hewitt National Design Design Awards Gallery. Communication Arts Advertising Annual. Print Design Annual. HOW. Cannes Cyber Lion, Target Design For All, Bronze E-commerce; Adtech Best Consumer Web site and Best of Show; WebAwards Outstanding Web site, Target. Snickers, Eyeblaster of the Year. ADDYs Austin, San Antonio (gold, silver). 

Artsy fartsy > Featured artist on NPR’s All Things Considered. Poetry appears in Berkeley Poetry Review, Poetry International, elimae, The Cultural Society, Zone 3 & others. Classically-trained dancer.

Photography shows > White Flag Pop-up Gallery, Manchester Arts Commission Cultural Diversity Town Hall, TedX, Manchester, et al. 

Life > Mother of two teenage humans, two doodles & friend to struggling orchids