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About Me:

I bring a rigorous, entertaining, non-academic, won’t-talk-at-you, practical and surprising approach to connection today.

I left college during my second year because, among other things, I was struggling to connect with people. Here was the chapter when people said I would make friends for life and create the most important memories and connections. But that wasn’t my experience. And it wasn’t because I didn’t like people. I just didn’t know how to make the most of brief interactions or simply shoot the breeze. But I’m human, shouldn’t I know how to do this? While leaving college was the right decision, it meant that I no longer was part of a cohort; a group of people doing roughly the same thing at the same time - something that is the cornerstone of how societies and people build their social networks. I had to leave but the ripple effect of that departure was massive. How would I connect with people when there was no longer a clear and obvious environment where that would happen? The answer wasn’t in a psychology book or on a therapist’s couch (though both can be valuable). I needed to find my own connection journey. And now I want to share what I’ve learned to guide you on how you’ll build connection in a world where the answer is not always obvious and definitely not one-size-fits-all.

My career timeline includes chapters as a bartender, community advocate, radio producer, brand strategist, designer of singles events, talent developer and workplace relationship expert.

But my most popular and sought-after insights come from studying the recent trajectory and history of modern dating culture and, not just studying it, but actively trying to shape it for the better.

I have degrees from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern University though I am certain that the bulk of my knowledge and expertise came from neither of these institutions.

Featured Talk:
”What you can learn
from modern dating culture
(regardless of
your relationship status)”

My work in dating culture used to be a footnote or a mention in my talks about modern connection. In this new talk, it takes a more central role as I trace the recent, but complete reconfiguration of dating today. We’ll extract both the benefits, drawbacks and lessons of this cultural shit. turning offer solutions for how we should move forward and future-proof all of our relationships; personal and professional.

Outcomes You Can Expect

This custom build interactive keynote will have your teams reflecting on how they used to build relationships and rethinking what it might take to build meaningful bonds today both at home, at work and everywhere in between (yes, even in dating)

  • You'll see team and individuals actively taking charge of their connection needs and not relying entirely on leaders and managers.

  • Relationships are being reconfigured; infused with both technology, cultural shifts and evolving needs. Helping your teams rethink and reimagine their relationships is key to talent retention.

  • Everyone needs connection but how we each experience it varies; culturally and generationally. Understanding the similarities and differences is key to modern relationships building.

  • Off-the-self offsites, happy hours and icebreakers don't cut it anymore. But we haven't quite replaced them either. This talk will infuse imagination and possibility into what internal events might look like.

PODCASTS:



SPEAKING SELECTS

2012

  • Chicago Ideas Week

    • Lab Host: "A Behind The Scenes Look at Me So Far"

2013

  • Chicago Ideas Week

    • Lab Host: "Question Design and The Singles Event"

  • Centro: Employee Lunch and Learn : “Tech, Culture and Relationships”

  • 2014

  • IDEO: Experts Invitation 

  • Asana: Lunch and Learn: “Tech and Relationships; A New Dynamic”  

  • AAJA (Asian American Journalists Association) Speaker 

2015

2017: Irving Bible Church 2017: Youth Relationship Retreat

2018

  • WeWork Humanize - Austin, Bali, Emcee and speaker: WeWork’s premier sales prospecting event 

2019

  • WeWork Humanize - Soho Farmhouse, Napa 

  • WeWork Global Employee Summit - 2nd highest rated speaker of the event 

  • WeWork Women of We Event: Modern Human Connection 

  • WeWork: Tech Summit: Modern Human Connection 

  • Conductor Client Summit 

  • CoreNet Boston 

  • Purpose 2030 Conference** Aaron Hurst’s Conference 

  • Techonomy: Worth Magazine’s gathering of minds, Half Moon Bay, CA 

  • FCB Chicago - 2019 - Agency Open House and Alum Showcase 

2020

  • Gov’t of Singapore Investment Corporation: How to Connect with Global Teams 

  • Casper - Casper “How To Stay and Feel Connected During A Pandemic” 

  • Casper Retail Employee Summit

  • ​​PSFK - the Future of Retail - How To Connect in a Retail Space 

  • Gensler: How To Design Environments for Modern Human Connection 

2021 

  • Eversana: “Modern Work & Remote Connection”

2022

  • Compass** 2022

Charter: Future of the Work Conference/ Opening Remarks: Original Poem” Unseen Work 

2023

  • Unfinished Conference

    • “Dating Climate Change”

  • Bonfire Women: Dating & Modern Relationships 

  • Slack Future Forum: Featured Panelist on Workplace Connection 

2024

  • Omega Institute: “How To Date Humans”

  • A Short History of Modern Dating: The Shirley Project Space