Home: Yardley, PA. Age: 43. Birthplace: Jackson, MI. Profession: Chief Technology Officer. Organization: GS1 US. Title: Senior Vice President, Standards & Technology. Alma mater: Ohio Wesleyan University (BA); Spring Arbor University (MA); Wayne State University (MLIS).
What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Moving halfway across the country by myself for a new job that ended up turning into an amazing career. Hobbies: Wildlife photography, music, reading. Recent travel or adventure: Photographing jaguars in Brazil, grizzlies in Alaska, snow leopards in India... the list keeps growing! Last book read: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor. Recently viewed and recommended: Killing Eve.
Personality profile: INTJ. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Intense. What is your greatest fear? Snakes. And failure. But mostly snakes. What natural talent have you neglected? Playing piano. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Travel. How do you relieve stress? Dancing. What is your go-to workout? Weight training. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Wildlife.
What was your first paying job? Scooping ice cream at a state park. What was your favorite college course? The Devil, The Hero, & God. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A world map. There’s so much still to see! What’s the best advice you received growing up? You can be anything you want to be if you work hard. What is your favorite app? Spotify. What company or organization do you most admire? World Wildlife Fund.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
Empowering young female leaders in tech. It’s still a surprisingly lonely place for women.
What change would you like to see in the world? More kindness. What message do you want to send out into the world? We all grow and learn. Don’t be afraid to make big changes and evolve as a person. What mega-trend most concerns you? Unnecessary technologies that create a huge negative environmental impact, like blockchain and NFTs.
What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Meryl Streep. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Unplugged from technology and in the moment, preferably somewhere outdoors and surrounded by wildlife. What advice would you give your younger self? Be less concerned with acquiring things and more with acquiring experiences! What day in your life would you choose to re-live? College graduation. I wish I had appreciated it more in the moment. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? My early thirties, when I should have been challenging myself to do bigger and better things.
Personal motto: “May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home” (Trenton Lee Stewart). Favorite quote: “I travel because I’d rather look back at my life, saying ‘I can’t believe I did that’ instead of ‘if only I had’” (Florine Bos). Desired epitaph: Born for adventure.
