I have three dogs and a husband . . . and will walk hot coals for chicken wings.

(mmm…chicken wings)

I was born a small baby in Salem, Massachusetts. I’m not a witch. 

I promise. 

But it’s true. I grew up in Peabody a few minutes down the road from the witch gallows. To avoid public shaming, don’t pronounce it “Pea-Body,” but rather PEEbuhdee. 

I was a creative little tyke, drawing monsters and dinosaurs and monkeys…lots and lots of monkeys. I drew sad self-portraits that I would slip under the door to the outside world when I was sent to my room. (They had to know how sad I was, right?) From elementary school all the way up through college, I took as many art classes as I could find . I wasn’t a math whiz. And I certainly wasn’t taking the science world by storm. But, hand me a ball of clay, or a sketchpad, or egg cartons and Popsicle sticks and suddenly I could create the world that was inside my head. I loved it all. I loved making stuff.

At Salem State College I discovered the glamorous and dangerous world of graphic design. After graduating, I began my design career in event and marketing agencies in greater Boston, mostly for the free trips and parties. I did it all: brochures, ads, brand identity, custom packaging for promotional mailings. I even designed a custom-wrapped ice cream truck for Hawaiian Punch. Ya know, as one does. 

Then all heck broke loose. 

In 2005 I moved from Boston to NYC to become Promotional Art Director for ELLEgirl Magazine, working with fashion brands including America’s Next Top Model, Marc Ecko, TJMaxx and Baby Phat. Janice Dickenson kissed me on the mouth. 

Eventually, after a couple of years of photo shoots and cocktail parties, I moved into book publishing as Senior Designer for Disney Editions/Disney Press. Later I designed for PlayBac Publishing and Bill Smith Group. 

Now I am primarily designing and producing books for both the children’s and adult contemporary markets for publishers including Scholastic Books, duopress, Blue Apple Books, Little Bee/Buzzpop/Bonnier, Albert Whitman & Company, Enchanted Lion Books, PrintMatters, Capstone, The Book Shop Ltd. (for Race Point Publishing, Sterling Innovations, Thunder Bay), and Octane Press. All the while, I still get to have the branding, identity and promotional design fun with a variety of clients. 

But after many years of lying dormant, the monkey-drawing kid in me has re-emerged with a vengeance. I’ve dusted off my sketchbooks and pencils (real and digital) and begun to indulge my passion for drawing even as I continue to do the design work I love. I’m art directing and illustrating for the children’s and tween book markets and my inner little Timmy Palin is having a blast illustrating books for Penguin Random House, Bharat Babies, duopress and Cardinal Rule Press. How can you not have a blast drawing a rhino in a tutu?

Professionally, I’ve navigated almost every aspect of the creative services and publishing industries. I bring to every client and partner a very adaptable design sensibility with focus and a commitment to making things beautiful. Whether it’s a book publishing project, magazine layout, identity piece, marketing design or the cutest, fuzziest bunny I can muster, I do whatever it takes to achieve the perfect finished product. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a finicky perfectionist and your projects will benefit from that.

But most important to me is that we have some fun together . . .

and make fantastic stuff!