Who inspires you?
This is going to sound cheesy, but for me it’s a no-brainer: my wife. She has inspired me since the moment we met 13 years ago, whether that’s to strive to be and do better in my personal relationships or in my career, she sets the bar incredibly high and I don’t think I would have accomplished half of what I have without her example, without her love and certainly not without her beside my side.
What was your first job?
Wow, that’s a lifetime ago! My first gig straight out of high school was as a front desk representative at a small hotel chain called the Country Inn by Ayres (now Ayres Hotel) in the Disney Anaheim Resort area. I was super hyped about the industry and was thinking about diving into hospitality and hotel management, but everything changed after 9/11. Not only did the industry collapse, but it changed my priorities it eventually led to my decision to go back to school to study international relations and foreign policy. The rest was history.
Name two things you consider yourself to be really good at.
- Digital strategy – or at least I certainly hope so considering my recent roles 😉
- I’d have to say it’s a tie between communicating solely using GIFs and recalling random trivia to answer questions I have no business knowing the answer to, kind of like Slumdog Millionaire.
What show are you watching on Netflix right now?
All 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls for about the 5th time. (This will be controversial, but I used to be #TeamJess, and after re-watching the series I realized he was a total jerk to Rory. I’m definitely not #TeamDean since he’s married so, after seeing how Rory turned out in the reboot, I’m #TeamLogan. They deserve each other. To be clear, that wasn’t a compliment. 😝)
Where is your favorite place to travel?
If by travel you mean exploring and diving into the culture, I’d have to say Spain. But if you mean, where I prefer to take my vacation… any of the resort cities in Mexico. Did someone say swim-up bar?
What are three things on your bucket list?
- Visiting the remaining 6 New7Wonders of the World I haven’t seen yet (Great Wall of China, Petra, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Taj Mahal and obviously the Great Pyramid of Giza)
- Learn to salsa dance (don’t judge me… I have two left feet!)
- Learn at least, conversational Farsi (Persian)
What recent successes are you most proud of and why?
Getting promoted here at Beyond Fifteen. After years in the political arena and agency world, I’ve had a number of wins and have experienced professional advancement before, but being a part of the Beyond Fifteen family and being recognized for my contributions in a team of passionate, high-performing professionals takes the cake.
What do you love most about Beyond Fifteen?
The company culture. Full stop. I’ve never been happier; and I truly believe it’s because of the time, attention, caring and investment that Leslie and Lauren put into nurturing a family-like team environment that makes me (and I’m sure this goes for all of us) want to deliver success after success for our clients.