I still remember the moment when I decided that I wanted to spend my career building brands.
We were helping a bank improve its checking account offerings because customers were unhappy. First, we had to uncover why, but once we did, we created a win-win for both customers and the bank. It was a hit. And my passion for being customer obsessed was born.
I have had the pleasure of working on some amazing brands that span many different categories and consumer segments – big vs. small, classic vs. new, kids vs. parents vs. health enthusiasts – and each one taught me something different that I could take with me on my next adventure. But more importantly, the talented, creative, innovative, and diverse group of people whom I have gotten to work with along the way have inspired me. I love keeping in touch with them as they continue to build some of the world’s best brands.
I joined Castanea Partners in 2018 to focus on brand strategy and marketing and to work closely with our brands’ founders and leaders. Prior to Castanea, I was the CMO at two mission-driven brands, Freshly and Melissa & Doug. I also led eCommerce at Ralph Lauren and before that worked in consumables for Diapers.com (baby), Wag.com (pet) and Soap.com (personal care), which were acquired by Amazon. I spent over a decade in Brand Management focusing on food (Post Cereal, Balance Bar, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter), ice cream (Klondike, Popsicle, Good Humor), and beverage brands (Crystal Light, Kool-Aid) at Kraft and then at Unilever. Given this diversity of customers, brands, and companies, I have been able to develop first-hand knowledge of brand and performance marketing, brand strategy, new product innovation, consumer insights, digital product features, customer service, and omni-channel management.
I spent most of my childhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan and received a B.S. in Industrial Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. I later spent time in Boston while getting my MBA from Harvard Business School. I live outside of New York City with my husband and two sons and continue to be a devoted Michigan Wolverine fan.
