Path to Product Leadership
A humanities mindset, an information systems foundation, and real-world operational leadership shaped how I approach product today.
My path into product leadership was intentionally non-traditional, and it has become one of my greatest strengths.
Studying history trained me to recognize patterns, question assumptions, and understand context. My MLIS trained me to design information systems and understand how people actually find and use complex information. Years managing restaurants added something equally important: the ability to stay calm in chaotic environments while aligning teams around shared outcomes.
Long before I had the title of product manager, I was already doing the work - structuring complex systems, understanding how humans navigate them, and bringing clarity to environments where information, technology, and people intersect.
Today that same foundation shapes how I design enterprise platforms, align cross-functional teams, and lead product initiatives in highly regulated environments.
Systems Thinking Foundations
Master’s in Library & Information Science (MLIS)
Simmons University, Boston, MA
My MLIS program focused on the architecture of information systems: taxonomy design, metadata modeling, database structures, and user-centered research.
I completed graduate-level UX research and usability testing, running structured user interviews, heuristic evaluations, and moderated usability sessions to understand how people search for and interpret complex information.
One major project involved designing and testing a structured taxonomy for a legal information system, translating complex subject matter into an intuitive navigational structure for users.
These foundations now show up directly in my product work: designing enterprise platforms, governance systems, and workflows that help organizations structure complexity so teams can operate with clarity.
Bachelor’s Degree in History
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
My undergraduate work trained me in narrative analysis, pattern recognition, and research.
Studying history means learning how people interpret information, how bias shapes decisions, and how context influences understanding. Those same skills now shape how I approach user behavior, product discovery, and systems design.
It was also my first exposure to digital archives and content systems, which sparked my early interest in how large information collections are structured and accessed. Digital archives in the early 2000s were a whole vibe.
Early Leadership: Operating in Complex Systems
Before moving fully into product leadership, I spent years managing restaurants.
Restaurants are complex operational systems. When things go wrong, problems surface immediately and must be solved quickly. Success depends on clear communication, coordinated teams, and removing friction so everyone can focus on execution.
That experience shaped how I lead today: staying calm in high-pressure environments, aligning teams quickly, and solving problems fast enough to keep the system moving.
Those instincts continue to guide my work when navigating complex enterprise environments.
Product Leadership Development
I continue investing in structured learning to deepen my product leadership practice.
Product Leadership Certification from Product School
Focused on product strategy, cross-functional leadership, and building scalable product organizations.
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) from CPrime
Strengthened my understanding of outcome-driven delivery and the operational mechanics required to move from ideas to measurable results.
How This Shapes My Work
I approach product leadership with the belief that systems and people must work together.
Clarity, connection, and shared understanding are essential for organizations operating in complex environments.
Three foundations shape how I work:
Humanities trained me to understand people - how they think, what they need, and how context shapes behavior.
Information science trained me to organize complexity - designing systems, taxonomies, and workflows that help teams navigate information.
Operational leadership trained me to execute under pressure - staying calm, removing friction, and helping teams move forward together.
Together, these experiences shape how I design enterprise platforms, align teams across organizations, and lead product initiatives in highly regulated systems.
Across every chapter of my career, the constant has been the same: bringing clarity to complex systems so teams can deliver meaningful outcomes.