who's behind whole brain creative?

Whole Brain Creative was launched in 2002, when a cross-country relocation offered the perfect excuse to turn my moonlighting gig into a fulltime job. Armed with three clients and a continuous stream of work from my former employer, off to Oregon I went.

Ten years later, Whole Brain Creative has grown by leaps and bounds. I've graduated from a spare bedroom to office space in two locations, and collaborate with an ad-hoc team of smart, creative people – including programmers, photographers, and other writers and designers – who help me do more of what I do best (marketing communications, graphic design, web design and writing). I get to meet new and interesting people along the way, and learn all kinds of things I didn’t know before – like how to make award-winning wine, how to construct long-lasting asphalt roads, and how to board a ship on the infamous Columbia River Bar. I’ve never DONE any of these things, mind you, but I know enough to be dangerous.

before whole brain creative

Before embarking on this big adventure, I spent eight years honing my chops in corporate advertising and marketing departments. I began my career as a graphic designer at Computize (a $100 million computer retailer in Houston, Texas) and within two years was managing the company’s advertising and marketing departments. I also worked as a communications director for Melissa Rice & Company in Houston; and as a marketing communications specialist for Rockwell Automation/Sprecher + Schuh, also in Houston. I went to school for all this stuff too, earning a bachelor of science degree in advertising from the Univeristy of Texas at Austin.

what comes around goes around

I am grateful for the opportunities that come my way, and give back to my community as time and resources permit. I volunteer with the Assistance League, the Astoria Rotary Club, the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association and Columbia Memorial Hospital, and contribute to these and various other organizations and causes.