MY STORY
Introduction.
Every individual’s journey is an intricate tapestry of decisions, experiences, and moments of realization. Mine is no different. From the towns I grew up in to the halls of UNC Chapel Hill, my path has been filled with twists, turns, and invaluable lessons. It's a journey punctuated by deep dives into product management, explorations in data, and pauses for self-reflection. Dive in, and let me share a glimpse how a curious kid with a penchant for problem-solving evolved into the aspiring tech professional.
OUWB FPSP Final Presentation (pictured in light-blue shirt)
Goofing around with fellow Delta Sigma Pi brothers during a retreat to Asheville, NC (pictured in black jacket)
Early Aspirations.
Born in Auburn Hills, Michigan, my earliest professional experience was as the 16-year-old inaugural member and Co-Manager of Sales & Marketing for a non-profit coffee roasting company, Beans to Bags. Profits of the company were evenly split between scholarships for student participants and Gifts of Giving, a non-profit focused on teaching students the joy of giving to families in need through back-to-school drives, food giveaways, and holiday clothing and gift initiatives. As an inaugural member of Beans to Bags, we featured the local newspaper and television. This fed my entrepreneurial leanings, which at that time, were running alongside an interested in medicine. A rigorous two weeks during the summer of 2018 at Oakland University’s Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program (OUWB FPSP) whet my interest in medicine. This interest led me to UNC Chapel Hill where I received the Carolina Scholarship—a full-ride, academic scholarship for out-of-state students. I began my college life gravitating toward the health professions, but the onset of COVID prompted a re-evaluation of my path . . .
2019 follow-up feature to the original 2016 Local 4 News Detroit feature
Reflection.
The pandemic’s impact on my college experience occurred in my second semester at UNC, Spring 2020. All instruction was online and off-campus for over a year. During that time, I took a hiatus from college in Spring 2021. While away from campus, I did some serious introspection. At the top of my list was completing my degree. However, I no longer wanted to pursue a career in the health professions.
Some hard self-analysis reinvigorated my more entrepreneurial leanings and led me to consider business and technology.
Technology won. That’s when I shifted my academic focus to a B.S. in Information Science with a minor in Data Science.
I will be forever grateful to UNC’s scholarship foundation. They continued to support me through my transitional period and return to campus in Fall 2021..
Screenshot of the Wunderman Thompson NA (WTNA) #FeatureFriday LinkedIn post featuring me and interns from other WTNA functions
One of our entrepreneur partners speaking during the kick-off meeting of UNC Product Management Club’s PM Lab for Fall 2023
My Passion.
Back at UNC, my quest for a challenge and a place to make an impact led me to the UNC Product Management Club. The cross-functional collaboration, iterative design, and the intersectionality of technology, business, and design acquired through projects like ReflektMe, spurred a passion for product management that has continued to grow. This radiating newfound passion not only propelled me to an executive position within the club but also to pivotal roles at a UNC student-led startup, dot (formerly known as adko), and internships at nCino, Wunderman Thompson Apps, and Innovate Carolina. My tenure as a Market Analyst intern at Innovate Carolina, which concluded in December 2023, allowed me to sharpen my skills and hone my business and technological acumen further.
The academic journey that paralleled this professional exploration saw me majoring in Information Science with a Data Science minor. This blend of disciplines equipped me to bridge gaps between various domains of expertise, wielding tools and thought processes from Python and SQL to Systems Analysis & Design. My academic endeavors peaked with engaging in courses such as Applied Machine Learning and Applications of Natural Language Processing, alongside a capstone project focused on Design Thinking. This period of intense learning was capped off with my graduation in December 2023.
Upon concluding my academic and internship commitments, my engagement with product management and technology has only intensified. I earned the Data Science Associate certification from DataCamp in November 2023, underscoring my technical proficiency. Since then, I have been working with NeoMana Labs, a burgeoning Chapel Hill fintech startup. My efforts have been focused on steering development initiatives to meet key milestones, designing user-experiences that do not compromise on accessibility, and facilitating agile development to create a robust end-product.
As of June 2024, my commitment to expanding my knowledge and network remains unwavering—completing the Google UX Design Professional Certificate to further diversify and bolster my skill set. My journey has been one of continuous learning and application, from the classrooms of UNC to the dynamic world of tech startups. I continue to seek engagements that will allow me to leverage my comprehensive experiences, refined skills, and insatiable curiosity to make a meaningful impact in product management and beyond.
WHERE I’VE WORKED
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Innovate Carolina
July 2022 — Present
Market Analyst Intern
Delivering actionable insights by conducting competitive landscape analyses and producing 5+ market evaluation reports, each with a market value of $1.8k, facilitating the development and commercialization of innovative products across various industries
Enhancing data-driven decision making by cleaning and analyzing large Excel datasets of 300+ rows, supporting internal information gathering and outreach efforts
Made a meaningful impact by contributing over $3k in market research reports to UNC-CH's $1.2Bn research enterprise in 2022
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Wunderman Thompson Apps
June 2023 — August 2023
Product Intern
Laid the foundation for product innovation by spearheading internal surveying of a 100+ member team and mapping user journeys; efforts were instrumental in conceptualizing enhanced, personalized features for the JetBlue mobile app.
Advanced product initiatives for the Pokémon TV account by engaging with Project Managers, Account Managers, and Engineers to explore and evaluate potential proofs of concept
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nCino
May 2022 — August 2022
Product Management Intern
Demonstrated leadership by directing daily stand-up meetings and collaborating with Product Managers to align the product backlog and product roadmap
Contributed to product development by generating user stories and acceptance criteria
Conducted comprehensive industry research on the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to understand its implications on the SBA loan submission process; synthesized findings into an infographic, aiding in strategic planning and fostering informed stakeholder communications.
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dot (formerly known as adko)
December 2021 — May 2022
(Contract) Junior Product Manager
Collaborated with founders and Product Managers to identify and validate “beachhead” markets for an MVP through mutually-exclusive, top-down, and bottom-up market segmentation
Conducted primary market research and interviews to gain insights into primary demographics and personas, aiding in product development
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Beans to Bags
September 2016 — May 2018
Co-Founder + Co-Manager of Sales & Marketing
Co-founded the student-led, non-profit coffee roasting company, which donated $15k to students in the program as well as students in need within the school district
Established brand identity and differentiation, leading to the acquisition of contracts with local business and media exposure
Featured on local television news station, Local 4 News Detroit, and in the area newspaper, The Oakland Press
