How does a girl go from rooting around rare-book libraries to communicating innovative research?
The path from researching a dissertation on a nineteenth-century fiction writer to specializing in innovation communication may not seem obvious. But as I look back, the title of my thesis seems prophetic: "Voice from the Borderland: Rebecca Harding Davis and the Southern Roots of American Social Protest Fiction."
The borderland is where I love to play. I've spent my career zigzagging between the academy and the business world, and now I help others bridge the gap between those two radically different domains.
And what is "social protest" but an old-fashioned word for "change-making"? I believe that each of us is here to make a positive difference in the world, and I gravitate to collaborating with innovators who share my strong sense of mission.
I've had the privilege of serving clients from a wide variety of fields, including engineering, IT, and health care. Today, I teach, coach, and write across a range of sectors, but my favorite zone is the space where academic knowledge meets the possibility of real-world transformation.
Since the start of my career, I've felt compelled to help connect the world of academic knowledge with the world beyond the Ivory Tower. Way back in 2003, I wrote this op-ed column on the need for more "town and gown" activity.
During my career, I've written, and taught others how to write, just about every kind of business document you can name. I've also authored two books on writing and more than a dozen writing courses.
My approach can be summed up in two powerful words from the great British novelist E.M. Forster: "Only connect!"
Whether I'm critiquing a proposal, writing a white paper, or giving feedback on a pitch deck, my goal is the same: to interact with the audience at a deep level, engaging them intellectually and emotionally.