Summary: Communication is not flat, it is fluid and changing at a rapid pace. With its many facets, I decided to focus conversation here broadly on communication: interpersonal, professional, visual, social, non-verbal, organizational, etc. This blog a hodgepodge of things that interest me, all of which touch communication in some way. 

I’m a twenty-something digital brand gal living in Minneapolis with my husband and American Bulldog, Hank.

People and human behavior have fascinated me since childhood. I experienced some pretty radical things as a little one, so I looked to that radicality (yep, made up word) to teach me my surroundings and make sense of my existence. The trend of curiosity, seeking answers and being humbled by life’s many magnificent mechanisms has intensified with age.

While studying business in college, I took an interpersonal communications course (which blew my face off) and jumped ship for a PR major. Equally face-blowing-off quality were the social sciences — anthropology, sociology and psychology — where I spent quite a bit of my time. The intersection of these disciplines knocked my socks off.

As I moved out into the PR agency world, I found myself working as a hybrid PR gal, traditional PR with aspects of online marketing, which I loved. The social web and its application to business was pretty fresh, so I began to build relationships and learn about how people cared about various products, causes and services. What I learned through a lot of work, conversations and results was that nothing trumps human connection, and that would be the guiding principle through which I would forge my career. With this realization, it is only natural that  I gravitate to bridging the gap between traditional PR/marketing practices and social and emerging technologies.

Today, I’m digital brand manager at Mall of America, where my efforts are focused on directing digital strategy, community management, social media, digital PR/digital marketing and emerging technology. Previous experience at two Minneapolis (integrated marketing) agencies, more than a year in training and development, and hard time in the Minneapolis fine dining industry (the best experience I’ve had as a professional), and a plethora of fascinating life experiences has prepared me well for this endeavor and any others that come my way.

My other interests include (but are not limited to): Good relationships with my family and friends, laughing, great food, film, award shows, the human spirit and what transforms it, reading, becoming a better writer, making a contribution, LEARNING from others and sharing what I know. Additionally, I love volunteering and being a member of Minnesota PRSA and Social Media Breakfast MSP.

And… this wouldn’t be complete without saying that what is said here is my content — inspired by my  experiences and interpretation of them. Note: This is my way of saying that the views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not those of my employer or other associations.