I've always been creative. When I was young, I would write and illustrate my own stories, binding them together in folded sheets of paper to make small books. I was fascinated by the level of imagination and story telling that produced movies like Star Wars and advertising campaigns like Apple's "Think different." Like Lucas and Jobs, I dreamed of one day being able to use my own creativity and imagination to help build and grow something meaningful.Now, many, many (okay, maybe one many is enough) years later, I've built a career doing just that, albeit on a smaller scale. My twenty-plus years as a designer and design manager have allowed me to be involved in all facets of brand building, storytelling, and design for companies ranging from financial services to retail to insurance. My career has allowed me to work with many interesting people, and helped me to develop into the leader I am today.As a leader, I understand that it takes a unified team to be successful and overcome challenges. Because of this, I strive daily to create a team culture grounded in respect and empathy, while helping my team members grow so that they, too, can get to the next level.