Executive Director
Iowa Writers’ House
AGE: 36
What was your first job?
At age seven, I was a lemonade stand enforcer for my younger sister. I promoted the product, ensured fair and timely payment, and followed up on debts. My first job as an adult was as an account executive for a Fortune 500 advertising firm. In retrospect, they were essentially the same job.
What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
I actually wish I had more time for my own writing. Running a small nonprofit leaves little time for artistic pursuits.
What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
I believe we create ourselves and our futures through the work we chose to pursue. This is something I’ve always believed, but I wish earlier I had known that I could marry my skills in the arts and literature with my business and entrepreneurial skills.
What’s something people should know about your generation in the workplace?
We’re typically perceived as being increasingly familiar with digital technologies, but I think more of us miss our analog days – books by the fire, pen-pals and cable TV – more than we publicly admit.
What do you want to accomplish by the time you are 50?
I’d like to be speaking on an international circuit about the connection between literature, local opportunities for artistic expression and healthy connected communities.
