Congratulations on being an All-Star! Since you already live in New York City, what did you do with your travel stipend?

Thank you! It was great to win. I asked The One Club to take the money allocated for my flight and hotel and give it as a scholarship to my alma mater, book180. Since book180 is a newer program and I was the first graduate to win this honor, I wanted to help establish a stronger link between the school and The One Club for Creativity. The school is hosting a virtual Portfolio Night in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 29.

“I asked The One Club to take the money allocated for my flight and hotel and give it as a scholarship to my alma mater, book180.”

That is so generous! Did you have a requirement for the recipient?

Yes. The scholarship was awarded to a kid named Michael, and the only requirement I had was that the recipient had to be a career switcher. That’s what I am — I didn’t study advertising in undergrad — and I wanted the money to help someone else trying to make their new dream career work.

Before you went to book180, what did you study, and what were you doing professionally?

My undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University (in Northern Indiana, outside of Chicago) was in Sports Management and a self-designed major in Individualized Multimedia Journalism. I worked as a professional sports photographer for 10 years. My specialties were motorsports like IndyCar, Formula One, and NASCAR for organizations like NBC Sports and Penske Media. I also shot for Getty, covering everything from the U.S. Open and concerts for Billboard to professional bull riding.

What prompted the pivot from sports photography to advertising?

After a decade in the field, including time covering sports business and doing a lot of the non-written creative work — from podcast production to site rebranding — for a publication, I was burnt out. My initial passion for travel and motorsports had changed. I was feeling like the only creative on my team, and the workload was too much for too little. A recruiter at Gatorade suggested I look into Portfolio School, which led me to research and eventually enroll at book180.

You mentioned you have a “loud point of view” and a “loud design sensibility.” How has your career in sports photography influenced your current advertising work?

There’s a lot of energy in my portfolio, in both my photography and my art direction work. The principle is the same – in sports, you want a photograph that is evocative and arrests the viewer – for an ad, you want something that makes someone stop and look as they walk past.

“In sports, you want a photograph that is evocative and arrests the viewer – for an ad, you want something that makes someone stop and look as they walk past.”

My concepts, like the heavy metal-themed campaign for Raid bug spray that referenced the rock band Papa Roach, or a bright campaign for Popsicle, are all about pushing the dial up. My goal is to create work that’s equally as loud as the things I’m attracted to.

You also mentioned that being a woman in the racing industry was often “deeply misogynistic and awful,” but that the ad world feels different. Can you elaborate?

As soon as I started making the switch to advertising, it was a night and day difference. The mentorship and friendliness here are so much more prevalent than what I experienced in sports. I’ve built a robust network of people who genuinely feel like good people. While the current job market is terrifying because of a surplus of talent, I know I’ve made the right choice due to the supportive culture.

What was the most valuable part of attending Creative Week 2025 – the Portfolio Night All-Stars prize?

The access is 100% the prize for me. People who win awards don’t usually get this level of access — they aren’t invited to sit at the table at these banquet halls and talk with industry leaders. I can’t just walk into an agency like Mother and ask for a tour. This itinerary and the agency visits are my chance. I’ve been able to schmooze and network at level 10 all week.

“The access is 100% the prize for me. People who win awards don’t usually get this level of access.”

So, who did you end up networking with at the events?

At the ADC dinner, I saw Margaret Johnson, the CCO of Goodby Silverstein & Partners (who are known for campaigns like “Got Milk?” and their recent Cheetos award), present on stage. My mentor is connected to her, so I introduced myself. Not only did I get her contact information, but she also introduced me to the VP of talent. After that night, I had an interview lined up with Goodby for next week. That alone was worth the price of admission.

What is your dream agency?

BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty) is the number one place I’ve been trying to meet with for months. They are a Publicis agency who do great work for clients like Samsung and Smucker’s. They also have the Goodyear account. Given my background in racing, I know more about tires than almost any other applicant they’ll have. Their recent “Still” spot featured four or five race car drivers, all of whom I’ve personally interviewed. I just need to get in front of them, as they have so many applicants, it’s impossible to cut through the clutter otherwise.

You mentioned working with a partner. Who is your creative partner and how do you work together?

My main book180 partner was Aaron Payne, who is a copywriter and lives in Tampa, Florida. He is working full time at &Barr as a junior copywriter. We’ve never actually met in person and work exclusively remotely, which is very common in this field. He’s one of my closest friends – four of the six things in my portfolio we made together. We balance each other out well — he’s introverted, and I’m much more outgoing.

What are you up to now?

I’m full time at Havas NY now and liking it. They have me on a bunch of different accounts. Mainly, I’m assigned to Wells Fargo, but I’ve done a little bit of work on Reckitt, Wyndham, and JBL speakers. Been quite fun!