Q. Describe your background (where you grew up, college, etc.):
I grew up in a military family. We moved around a bit before settling in Harrah, OK, where I attended high school. I studied journalism at Oklahoma State University before moving to Oklahoma City.
Q. What about marketing piqued your interest?
I came to marketing by way of journalism. My first job in marketing was as an intern in OSU’s communications department where I wrote articles and produced short videos highlighting students, faculty, and other goings on around campus. It was then that I realized storytelling, which fascinated me and drove me to journalism in the first place, was at the heart of good marketing as well. A decade later, I’ve carved out a career in the professional services marketing niche and I still get to tell stories every day.
Q. What is your current job and what do you enjoy most about it?
I help CPAs and business advisors develop business as Marketing Director at HoganTaylor LLP, one of the largest business advisory and public accounting firms in Oklahoma and Arkansas. HoganTaylor has many talented professionals providing a wide range of services and I enjoy supporting them as they tell their unique and compelling stories. It’s rewarding work because HoganTaylor professionals seek to constantly add value and make a difference in the lives of clients. In turn, our clients do excellent work and help make our business and nonprofit communities the vibrant centers they are today. It’s my privilege to play a part in the process and the varied work keeps the job fun and interesting.
Q. How long have you been a member of AMA and why did you join?
I have been a member of AMA for several years now. I joined hoping to meet and learn from others in the marketing space and I haven’t been disappointed.
Q. Why do you feel it’s important to stay up to date with new practices and tactics in the marketing world and how does it relate to your job?
Innovation in our industry, like many others, is moving so fast. You have to be diligent about keeping up with the latest trends or your competition will leave you behind.
Q. What is the best piece of business advice that you’ve ever been given?
“Embrace uncommon levels of humility, selflessness, and transparency for the good of the client.” I think this quote should be attributed to the author Patrick Lencioni, but I first heard it at HoganTaylor. I’m lucky to work for a firm that has built a culture of client service by placing a tremendous amount of value on the tenets of vulnerability and trust. It’s not always easy, but when I really check my ego at the door and lean into this advice, I’m a much more effective marketer and helpful professional.
Q. Do you have a favorite marketing publication, podcast, conference, etc. that you would recommend?
I really like Donald Miller’s StoryBrand. I attended one of their trainings a couple of years ago and became a big believer in the simplicity of their approach. There’s also a resource specific to the professional services marketing industry that I like a lot called Hinge Marketing. They have great, free content and a paid subscription model for additional courses.
Q. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
People who know me well may know that I’m an advocate for arts and education, but they might not know why I have a passion for these causes. When I was in grade school, my journalism class took a field trip to Washington, D.C. to visit The Newseum, an interactive museum that traced the evolution of communication. It was a powerful experience which had a lasting impact on my life. I often wonder what my life and career would look like had I not had access to such a moving experience. One of my greatest professional joys is getting the opportunity to lend my time and talent in support of organizations that provide similar access to arts and education right here in Oklahoma, including most recently, serving on the boards of the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Moderns.