Projects & Work I’ve Done
Here are several examples of my favorite projects and work experiences, so you can get a sense of what I’ve done before.
The Junto Institute
My role: Co-Founder; Program Design & Facilitation
What we set out to discover:
How can we lead with love and humanity in business?
How can emotionally intelligent leadership be learned?
What we created:
Founded in 2012, as leadership training for startup founders and modeled as a modern-day apprenticeship program, participants learned from a vetted community if seasoned entrepreneurs and executives, "those who have been there and done that". The entire program was rooted in emotional intelligence and the cultivation of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. The experience was focused on development of the leadership team as a whole, with the intention of building team alignment and growing together.
From 2012-2019 The Junto Institute's curriculum was primarily in-person in Chicago, IL. After 2020, Junto repositioned to become an entirely virtual leadership experience, now accessible to companies across the world.
Reviews.com
My role: Consultant; Program Design & People Consulting
What we set out to discover:
How can we exponentially grow as a company, while thriving as a culture and individuals?
What we created:
When I was brought in as a consultant, Reviews.com was a startup that had recently been acquired with the directive to continue growing independently. Within a few months the team of 25 had more than doubled to 53 with no sign of slowing. I came in to design and establish a People Operations function within the company. I began by mapping a people model, the continuous experience of a team member engaging with the company from application process, through growth and development as seasoned team member. After designing this, I set out to create the structure and processes behind each point of engagement within the people model: from onboarding and training for new hires, to learning and development programming, to new events and experiences to deepen company culture and connectivity. The backbone of all structures and processes was rooted in the company's core values, which we revisioned through a series of sessions I guided with a small representative group of team members from each of the internal teams.
Elevate Feminine Leadership Councils
My role: Co-Founder; Program Design
What we set out to discover:
How can we reimagine new, sustainable ways forward in our organizations?
How can we lead from a place rooted in wisdom rather than perceived power?
What we created:
A unique feminine leadership experience that gathered a multi-disciplinary group of participants representing government and law, healthcare and wellness, non-profits, small businesses and startups, corporate, and education. This cohort came together as a council to deep dive into commonly held challenges, hear from each other's diverse opinions, and together reimagine new approaches and solutions to lead their organizations forward. The experience also focused on developing eight wisdom-led leadership competencies, and provided tools and structure for the practical application of each competency.
I collaborated with three other co-founders in the creation of the Elevate Feminine Leadership Councils. The design and launch of this program was deeply intentional, and the principles expressed through the program were thoughtfully practiced throughout its creation. The flow of the program was modeled after the cycles we experience in nature, creating a sustainable and productive cadence, felt throughout the program by all who've experienced it.
Junto Women
My role: Founder; Program Design & Facilitation
What we set out to discover:
How can we reimagine work and leadership in a way that is more naturally aligned to who are and how we desire to lead?
What we created:
A community within The Junto Institute for women and non-binary individuals to connect professionally and enjoy authentic conversations around commonly held challenges. Piloted in 2018 with the women founders who had graduated from The Junto Institute, the experience began with a series of structured conversations, each about a specific topic. With the intention of reimagining commonly faced leadership challenges, the group brainstormed new solutions to old issues and experimented with approaches that felt more natural and aligned for them. After this pilot group, the experience expanded to include women and non-binary individuals from all levels of leadership within the Junto community.
WeReimagine Circles
My role: Founder; Program Design & Facilitation
What we set out to discover:
How can we reimagine our approach to challenges within life and work, in order to craft a whole life in which we truly thrive?
What we created:
A collaborative experience for women and non-binary individuals of similar phases in their work-life. Participants came together in a small group environment to discuss and tackle some of their toughest topics in life, business, and leadership. With the intention of becoming a living example of the change they wanted to see, the participants experimented with new practices and behaviors, and held one another accountable as they collectively stepped into new territory in their work and lives.
Business Incubation in Michigan & the Midwest
My role: Operations Manager & Research Assistant; Program Design & Operations
What we set out to discover:
How can we support entrepreneurs and create innovation hubs in rural communities throughout the Midwest?
How can we create connection and community for those supporting entrepreneurs in Michigan?
What we created:
At the University of Michigan Center for Business Acceleration & Incubation Studies I collaborated with communities throughout Michigan and the Midwest to design business incubation programs that fit the needs of their local entrepreneurs. We conducted market and feasibility studies to determine the viability of a business incubator in a variety of communities, and we worked with steering committees of local officials and stakeholders to begin the launch of regional business incubation programs.
Additionally, through re-launching the Michigan Business Incubator Association we sought to cultivate connection and community for business incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs across the state.