Let me introduce myself...

You already know I'm all about trust, but there's more to the story. I completed my undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University, finishing as an honors graduate with B.A.s in Mass Communications (Broadcast Journalism) and Theology. I also obtained a minor in Art, with an emphasis in Graphic Design. You can find more about my formal education and work experiences here.

My combined passion for media, visual art, business marketing and culture inspired me to write my honors thesis on the impact social media plays in global brand management. This academic study was fascinating, motivating me to learn more about marketing and consumer behavior.

Once in college, I grew curious about Asia. As a sophomore, I moved to Beijing, China for a year to study Mandarin and Chinese culture from North China University of Technology. Living in a city that serves as such an international hub was both exciting and challenging. I went back for internships as often as I could.

With my B.A., I moved back to Beijing where I worked as Executive Assistant to Shunee Yee, CEO of CSOFT International, Ltd. and Fortune's Most Powerful Woman Entrepreneur 2012. I loved learning from Shunee, and leading a culturally-diverse marketing team. This experience challenged my leadership skills, made me appreciate the impact of targeted marketing, and also made me realize how much I still had to learn about running a successful business. I began to look at options to further my education, without getting into debt. 

The Soderquist Fellowship offered that opportunity. After being chosen for the fellowship, I moved back to the United States to begin my MBA, International Business from John Brown University. In the program, I worked for a leadership development firm for two years, assisting companies in strategic planning, team building, and executive team alignment.

I also helped Soderquist Leadership build out their first inbound marketing campaign using an integration of Hubspot, Salesforce, and SurveyMonkey. Working on a very small Marketing Team meant we had to learn quickly and work smart in order to be successful, but man, was it worth it.

Watching our "tribe" of customers and contacts grow over time through the tool of inbound marketing has been invigorating. In just 18 months, we have not only generated more revenue for a healthier business model, but we have also impacted more lives. It's a win-win all around.

A few more personal things:

• I'm married to the most hilarious, wonderful man in the world, who also happens to be British.
• Game nights are my love language, specifically party games or strategy games. (Catan, anyone?)
• My husband and I are starting a 90-day Transitional Housing Program in Northwest Arkansas to help homeless families move toward self-sustainability. 
• I secretly obsess over dill pickles and donuts. Not together, obviously, but both are incredible in their own way.
• I traveled to Latin American extensively as a teen with a medical missions team, visiting rural villages in Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. 
• Since my year in Beijing, I have also travelled throughout Mainland China, as well as Taiwan, the Philippines, England, France, and Singapore. 

Take a peek into my more recent adventures (thanks, Instagram!) below.