About
Influential advocate and leading-edge enabler of “disruptive innovation,” championing ideas that stretch boundaries, mobilize teams, build community, drive change, and deliver value.
Accomplished International Business Strategist, Market Intelligence and Consumer Insights Puzzle-Solver, known for possessing a unique blend of management, commercial and technical skills.
Deep cross-industry, multinational/multicultural, operational, business/client development, strategic consulting and SaaS applications experience with both tenured Fortune 500 and startup B2B and B2C enterprises, including consumer goods and services (Packaged Food & Beverages, Pharma, Retail, Foodservice & Hospitality), manufacturing, and professional/financial services.
Creative problem-solving, collaborative spirit, purpose-driven entrepreneurial passion, and effective consensus-building leadership, crafting concepts and launching strategies across multiple functions and diverse cultural environments, have resulted in successful advancement of organizational vision to accelerate business transformation, expansion of existing markets, penetration of new markets, development of innovative solutions, and solid establishment of long-term relationships with external clients and partners as well as internal stakeholders and teams.
Entrepreneur & Founder, passionate Mentor and Adviser to fellow intrepreneurs/entrepreneurs and Founders of new ventures.
A strategist and a connector, first and foremost, I’m drawn to the challenges of building and scaling enterprises. What truly energizes me is the excitement of applying whatever knowledge, expertise, and connections I’ve gathered along the way to help intrepreneurs & entrepreneurs build their teams, and align the resources necessary to bring their ideas to life, not just for commercial gain but to be forces for good.
Globetrotter in training:)
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Work experience
- January 2020 – present
Chicago Innovation
Mentor | Judge Chicago Student Invention ConventionInspiring curiosity, confidence, and creative problem-solving in our youth, the Chicago Student Invention Convention is a free, flexible curriculum focused on critical thinking, creativity, and innovation for Illinois students grades K-8, reaching schools, after school groups, youth centers, libraries and museums, making every effort to ensure an enjoyable, rewarding, inspirational, and educational experience for every participant. It is supported by activities and lesson plans and culminates in a final competition of student-built prototypes. A CSIC Mentor's role is twofold. Mentors encourage and guide students on the invention process, and share career insights as a STEM, invention, or entrepreneurship professional, illustrating how one's work impacts the world. Mentors visit CSIC participating sites and lead classroom discussions and activities to promote the guiding principles of the Invention Convention: - Empower students to express their ideas and gain confidence in themselves through showing that you value their ideas; - Give every student opportunities to use their imagination, engage in creative problem solving, and the space to present his or her ideas; - Engage students in the scientific/invention process and develop their interests in STEM, invention, and entrepreneurship; - Invest in students that will become our future leaders and innovators. - January 2019 – present
AdvisoryCloud
Strategic Business Adviser - January 2018 – present
ShoppingGives Foundation
Founding Member - ShoppingGives Foundation Board of DirectorsShoppingGives exists to create social impact with every purchase, having built a community of retailers and nonprofits that give back to one another through their customers and supporters. The ShoppingGives Foundation was established to facilitate the donations from retailers to nonprofits and make a direct impact in the lives of customers as they choose where a retailer donates. The community is created through two unique technologies: an intuitive online fundraising platform, ShoppingGives.com, and its newest technology, ChangeCommerceⓇ. Change Commerce enables retailers to donate a percentage of each purchase to a nonprofit that the customer selects during checkout, building customer loyalty and trust through charitable giving. The Board of Directors help guide the ShoppingGives Foundation to establish itself as an organization that benefits people's lives for good. - January 2018 – present
1871
MentorHome to nearly 500 early-stage, high-growth digital startups, 1871 also serves as headquarters of nationally recognized accelerators, industry-specific incubators, tech talent schools, the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, a number of Chicago-based VCs, and satellite offices for Northwestern University, University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, Trinity University, and DePaul University. - January 2017 – present
GlobalData Plc
Senior Vice President, Consulting – Consumer Division – The AmericasHeading the Consumer Consulting practice in the Americas, leads multidisciplinary, multi-country, cross-cultural teams of consultants, analysts and researchers to challenge global CPG companies seeking answers to strategic business questions across industry verticals, consumer groupings, and geographies to realize emerging growth opportunities for innovative product development. Holds ownership over the following: - Strategy -Provides strategic vision and direction for the design and execution of product development initiatives by leveraging consulting services as proof of concept platform for innovative ad hoc research framework, related methodologies and analysis that enable innovators to make better and more timely decisions. - Planning & Execution - In order to drive effective paths to scale for successful solutions, develops a broad understanding of clients businesses, and oversees end-to-end planning and execution of new concepts and solutions that join the dots across the entire consumer landscape to deliver future-focused insights. - Cross functional & strategic partnerships - Works closely with industry research, commercial, operations, and marketing, and builds strategic partnerships with external research organizations to identify and execute on long term consulting solutions innovation and execution. Focus Areas: - Market Analytics & Competitive Intelligence - New Product Development & Proof of Concept Design & Implementation - Channel Analysis - Product Claim Validation & Tracking - Corporate Strategy and Partnerships Development - January 2017 – present
University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business
Adviser, Mentor to Entrepreneurs & New Ventures' Founders - IDEA Center Commercialization EngineStanding for Innovation, De-Risking and Enterprise Acceleration, the IDEA Center is the fundamental resource for all commercialization and entrepreneurial activities at the University of Notre Dame. It is designed to be the University of Notre Dame’s collaborative innovation hub dedicated to expanding the technological and societal impact of the University’s innovations by nurturing and facilitating the movement of the best ideas of faculty, staff, students and alumni from discovery to commercial application. Open to any University researcher and student as well as to members of adjacent communities, the IDEA Center provides the necessary space, services and expertise for idea development, commercialization, business formation, prototyping, entrepreneurial education and student entrepreneurial efforts. It is designed to bring the best Notre Dame faculty, staff, student and alumni ideas and innovations to market. - January 2017 – present
Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago
Startup Mentor - IGNITE LABThe Ignite Lab enables students, staff, and faculty at Loyola University Chicago to turn their entrepreneurial ideas into reality. - January 2016 – present
University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business
Judge & Mentor - McCloskey New Venture Competition 
January 2013 – December 2017Euromonitor International
Senior Client Consultant / Key Accounts Strategy Manager - The AmericasLeveraging Euromonitor's global industry and regional market intelligence resources and a genuine understanding of clients' strategic and operational challenges and opportunities, comprehensively assisted world leading Fortune 500 CPG and Retail Key clients to identify, develop and prioritize opportunities and strategies to drive and sustain business and revenue growth of their Americas' operations through the integration of customized solutions that incorporated industry, consumer, shopper, market and value chain knowledge and insights; and to maximize the relevance and practical applications of the research process to each clients' day-to-day strategic needs. Industries of expertise: consumer goods and services, including Packaged Food & Beverages, Pharma, Retail, Foodservice & Hospitality, Nutrition, e-Commerce, Ingredients, Packaging, Manufacturing, and Professional/Financial Services, Focus Areas: - Market Analytics - Performance benchmarking - Channel Analysis - Competitor Analysis - Consumer Insight (Trends & Drivers, Habits & Practices, Path-to-Purchase) - Competitive Intelligence (Business models, Go-to-market, Brand positioning, In-store activation)- January 2004 – December 2014
International Strategic Business Consultancy
Founder - Managing PrincipalUS-based consultancy with a network of multi-country partnerships providing comprehensive strategic business planning, market growth development, international project and operations management, and financing strategies and sourcing solutions to businesses, non-profit organizations, and public entities. Focused on designing and overseeing execution of market growth strategies, coordinating international project management tasks, devising business financing/ fundraising strategies and identifying suitable sourcing solutions, for businesses, non-profit organizations, and public entities of all sizes- from start-ups to mature enterprises- across multiple industry sectors in the Americas and abroad. Centered on international trade development, Foreign Trade Zone planning, marketing, market development, and financing strategies, involving activities for global commercial trade of goods and services among business enterprises based primarily in the US, Europe, and Latin America. - January 2011 – December 2013
Nielsen
Hispanic Market Territory Manager - Nielsen TV Ratings Market ResearchResponsible for overall management of the Hispanic market sample panel in the Nielsen TV Ratings Market Research, ensuring suitable recruitment, maintenance, and performance of the sample panel in assigned geographic regions. Recipient of company’s Gold Award (highest level awarded). - January 2005 – December 2011
EW Financing Services
Co-FounderAssisted Latin America-based business and not-for-profit organizations with the development and implementation of targeted business plans and growth strategies, as well as execution of related feasibility and market research and analysis, for the purpose of seeking and obtaining financing for growth and expansion of their commercial operations, often involving commercial trade activities of goods and services with US-based business entities. - January 2004 – December 2007
ChicWIT (Chicago Women. Insights. Technology.)
Founding Member - Executive Advisory BoardChicWIT (Chicago Women. Insights. Technology.) - Illinois' largest professional women's networking group, with more than 10,000 diverse members who connect daily via a free, moderated listserv and various events throughout the year. Part of WorldWIT (www.worldwit.org). - January 1997 – December 2007
Molyneaux Financial Group
Senior AdviserConsultative financial advisory practice centered on providing business strategic planning advice and guidance to business owners and executives, professional services firms, and not-for-profit organizations, ranging from strategic business planning, risk management assessments & strategies, business succession planning, and funding/financing strategies to reach marketing/capital resources.