Helping Communities Thrive
For the first ten years of my professional life, I led business development and marketing strategies for brands across industries like hospitality, technology, entertainment, aviation, fashion and publishing. I lived in Los Angeles, San Diego and Chicago. I loved travelling to new markets to quickly analyze the landscape and understand how and where segments of the population lived so I could connect brand messages and sales objectives with locations and lifestyles. When the opportunity arose, I returned to school to study urban planning and business real estate. I came to understand that my passion was creating the development strategies and tools that co-create dynamic places with resilient residents.
Now, I call myself a placemaker. I work at the intersection of community and business development. I build multi-sector partnerships to leverage and deploy resources that spur equitable and inclusive economic development. My creative approaches to community, policy and finance address issues like housing, health, density, displacement, sustainability, economic mobility, transportation and marketability.
When I’m not spouting off about my work, you can find me enjoying my other loves: my wife (of course), travelling, scuba diving, art, ballet (watching not doing), bicycling, city parks, NY Times (reading), and playing the piano.
Why Bubblement?
I found this word years ago when I began my consulting career. An issue of the Peoples Press, September 11, 1852 (Salem, North Carolina), included an article about a mishap between PT Barnum and a great ventriloquist of the time whom Barnum had invited to demonstrate a new fire annihilator. The article reads:
“These were some of the unpleasant words that assailed Barnum’s ear in the great bubblement that was rising like the roar of waves around him.”
To me, bubblement brings to mind an image of rising energy. An array of voices, emotions and actions lifting up from all around. Like bubbles, they are delicate and difficult to control. However, with focus and tenderness, one can organize the bubbles. They can be creatively nudged into direction or form. This is the kind of process I believe should go into intentional discovery. An acute awareness must preside as we search for new ideas, strategies, communications, and commonalities. The bubblement will rise. With the right approach, we can foster the results of collective progress and innovation.
Want to know more? Send me a message.
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