I am an entrepreneurial and creative designer, product developer, merchandiser and marketing expert with a dynamic background in the creative sector for the last 17+ years. I take pride in being a courageous team leader/player and bridge-builder who is able to take innovative ideas from conception all the way to take-to-market. Industry experience includes trend research and analysis, product development and design, artisan program development, merchandising, marketing & sales and strategic partnerships. Currently fulfilling my life's work of raising women out of poverty and supporting initiatives to combat climate change through my work as Merchandiser with Powered By People - a wholesale platform connecting sustainable producers across the globes to conscious buyers. Prior to 2020, I worked at leading social enterprise, ME to WE. As the Design Director, my experience with global artisan design and product development team produced many successful collections with artisan groups in Kenya and Ecuador. I lead all strategic product design collaborations with leading retailers like Holt Renfrew, Nordstrom and Fossil through to mass retailers like Walgreens and top influencers like Lilly Singh, Aimee Song, Sofia Carson and Connor Franta. This role fueled my passion for supporting women's empowerment through entrepreneurship and craft.Prior to joining ME to WE, I was the Founder and Creative Director of my own children’s clothing brand, Patouche. This line of inspired heirloom quality clothing and outerwear encouraged imaginative play and was exclusively made-in-Canada line sold at ABC Home and Carpet and other top retail locations across North America, Europe, Asia and the UK. Patouche was also featured on countless publications home and like Today's Parent's, Canadian Family, and Kiwi magazine.