Denver, Colorado, United States
It started early. On my grandfather’s Royal typewriter, I wrote speeches, recorded them on a Fisher-Price tape recorder, then gathered a community (stuffed animals at first) around ideas I thought mattered. I still believe in persuasion in service of purpose—and in the uncommon power of bringing people together around something worth caring about. Drawn to consumer psychology—why people notice, trust, buy, return, participate and belong—I bring 20+ years where culture, commerce and community meet, building brands, integrated campaigns, partnerships and experiences that move audiences to act. Work spans MLB, Chase, James Beard, VW and Netflix. I spot where taste, timing and resonance are converging. I pair analytical rigor with connective instinct to align teams around shared purpose, unlock revenue and create lasting behavior change. Harmonizing brand and business strategy, I help legacy brands feel newly alive, challengers earn cultural gravity and agencies, publishers and institutions translate meaning into growth. I turn attention into trust, loyalty, reputation—and joy. I help leaders make sense of change and chart what’s next—clarifying identity, sharpening narrative and making organizations indispensable to those they serve. At Subterranean, I’m a fractional CMO and strategic adviser with a curator’s eye, operator’s discipline and relentless curiosity for what others miss—the unexpected insight, useful tension, partner no one thought of or convention worth challenging. Most useful when ideas need a spark, ambition needs strategy or community needs architecture. Proof: helping create and scale Jackie Robinson Day; building Audi’s James Beard partnership; launching a climate-tech brand named a Fast Company World Changing Idea; bringing together the University of Denver and Gov. Polis to announce a first-of-its-kind Holocaust and Antisemitism professorship on C-SPAN; and driving guest strategy for the Emmy-winning Eli Manning Show. As President of the 6,500+ member Cornell Club of Colorado—now the world’s most active Cornell community—I’ve proven a belief: community doesn’t just support a brand. It magnifies, fortifies and mobilizes it. 5x engagement. 40x scholarship fundraising. 70+ curated experiences a year. Food, wine and travel inform how I think: pour-overs, markets, long farm tables—clues to how people gather and decide. WSET Advanced. Wine Australia Scholar. Sharpened by New York’s velocity, Colorado’s reinvention, Latin America’s nuance, running, hiking and cycling in National Parks. Let’s build something meaningful: [email protected]
Agile advisory fortifying organizations in creative strategy, integrated marketing, brand planning and growth with deep wine and food expertise. Samples: Audi, Climate Vault (the University of Chicago) Infatuation/Zagat, Boomer Esiason, NY Giants, Susan G. Komen, Netflix, Howard Hughes (Seaport District), Jaguar, Athletes Unlimited, Hyundai and Mazda among others. Consulting Producer/Guest Booker: The Eli Manning Show; Game Time with Boomer Esiason AWARDS: Audi PROOF Culinary Series >>Experience Design & Tech Awards: Gold Medal winner for best 'Permanent or Pop-Up Retail Experience' >>BizBash Event Style Awards: Best Catering at an Event in ‘Live Events & Experiences’ and ‘Best Event of the Decade’ categories
Building a micro-experience strategy that had made the community of ~5,000 Colorado Cornellians the most active in the nation and curating 50+ annual events, including a visiting winemaker program and the "Meet the Maker" and "Culturally Curious" series.
Lead Audi Strategist: Crafting insights-driven, brand content and partnership strategy across culinary, film, thought leadership and sports guided by gender parity #DriveProgress activation framework, contributing to 83% lift in brand awareness and 68% in consideration. Additional client samples: Jaguar, Mazda, Hyundai, Lenovo and Netflix.
Advising on strategies to engage new audiences including curating Queens Cooks, at the James Beard House featuring Lady Gaga. Serving for 14 years on production team for James Beard Awards, “the Oscars of food.”