Born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, in 2006 my digital marketing journey began…well, it officially began, but my love for everything I do started before I was even born.
My parents met doing theater for their high schools and they passed that love of a live audience to me. For most of my life my father was on the radio as a morning DJ creating conversation over the airwaves and making connections with people he may never meet. My mother worked in the medical and teaching fields, helping people in-person during times when going at it alone was too much. Through them I found that I thrive for people, relationships and … talking.
In 2006 I answered an ad in the paper (yes, I know) for a marketing specialist. At that interview I was introduced to the world of SEO and PPC through a company that was transitioning from print to digital. I was able to experience it all from the ground up and that’s an experience that cannot be replicated.
I worked for that company for 12 years as SEO and SEM evolved and as my career evolved. Eventually hiring and heading up a search marketing team of 5, but in 2018 it was time for me to move on. I wanted to know more about digital marketing than just Google.
I was lucky, I came across this remarkable, rare and striking brand agency that didn’t quite have digital marketing services yet. I felt this organic connection to them, even just through their website and I KNEW I had to join their team. But they weren’t hiring, so I pitched myself to them. Two interviews later, we were a family. They expanded my mind and my experiences, experiencing the powers of compelling storytelling, brand development, audience personas, creativity, testing and true innovation — all with a 6 person staff. That small family included me into every aspect of marketing I was missing and it was invigorating. As their Digital Marketing Director, I got to play and try new techniques I had only dreamed of. Until one day, I decided to move to a new state.
With the move from Virginia to Texas I was no longer able to work for my branding agency family, so again the job hunt started. Through the powers of networking I was hired at Semrush in 2020. The role was unique. The role was to connect with people through social media about SEO. Semrush wanted someone to have those detailed conversations about SEO and they liked what I had to say. My role definitely transitioned. As the only social media and community manager for the SEO Unit at Semrush, I created detailed, international social media campaigns for both organic and paid channels. I was involved with the overall planning and strategizing for our unit which pulls in the best parts of my previous career experience.
For my last year at Semrush, I was honored to work with agencies bringing my career full circle.
I’m ingrained in the digital marketing industry with podcast and conference guest appearances so we can all learn and collaborate — the greatest part of the digital marketing world. And that brings us to now.
To quote one of the Disney princesses I grew up with, “I want to be a part of your world.” And I want to bring you into mine. Awesomeness does not happen on an individual level. It takes collaboration and energy to get our s@#$ together and I’m here for you.
