ABOUT
EDUCATION
Truman State University
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing with a minor in Graphic Design from Truman State University in Spring 2019. The university’s liberal arts curriculum helped broaden my perspective, sharpen my critical thinking, and shape the create lens for my projects.
While studying marketing, I developed skills in sales, branding, and market research. A pivotal moment in my academic journey was my marketing capstone course, where we analyzed advertising strategies and explored how brands expand into new markets. These lessons deeply influenced how I think about storytelling and audience connection
Although marketing was my focus, some of my favorites classes were in graphic design. I enjoyed immersing myself in creative briefs and seeing a concept come to life. One professor in particular challenged me to grow as an artist while staying true to the project’s constraints. Authenticity was key - if I needed a photo of a wire connector, I needed to find one and photograph it myself. That hands-on , resourceful mindset continuous to shape how I approach design today.
Athletics & Teamwork
A major reason I chose Truman was the opportunity to compete on the men’s swim team. Coach Ed Petre recruited me as a sprint specialist in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke. During my time on the team, I improved across almost every event and helped break two school relay records.
More than the personal best, what defined my swimming experience was the team. Training with the team twice a day, six days a week, created a deep bond. These teammates became family. They taught me the importance of consistency, positivity, and giving 110% - not just in the pool, but in life.
Giving Back
One of the most meaningful parts of being on the Truman swim team was our involvement with Swim Across America, a nonprofit that raises money and awareness for cancer research through charity swim events.
This cause is deeply personal to me. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and again in 2020, so being able to give back in her honor meant the world. During my time in the program, I raised over $2,500 and participated in three Swim Across America Events. The fundraiser was a reminder of the power of community and using what you love to make a difference.
EMPLOYMENT
Early Career
Tiburon Swimming Pool (2013-2020)
One of my earliest jobs was lifeguarding at Tiburon Swimming Pool, where I worked each summer throughout high school and college. It was a great way to build responsibility, stay active, and earn money. In 2015, I was promoted to Assistant Manager, taking on additional responsibilities such as managing chemical levels, handling daily sales deposits, and addressing customer concerns. The following year, I also became the head swim coach. I loved helping swimmers grow, reach their goals, and find joy in the sport. My coaching duties included creating meet programs, running swim practice, and communicating with parents. Although I originally planned for summer 2018 to be my final season, I returned briefly at the end of Summer 2020.
Internship
Marketing & Design Intern | Woodhouse Auto Family (2018)
During the Summer of 2018, I interned in marketing and design at Woodhouse Auto Family. This role gave me real-world experience applying what I’d learned in school.
I created social media content, designed promotional posters, and supported networking events.
My favorite moment? Starring in the end-of summer Woodhouse Mazda commercial.
Post-College & Covid Years
Part-Time Building Supervisor | YMCA of Greater Omaha (2019-2021)
In October 2019, I began working as a Building Supervisor at my local YMCA. The role was highly flexible, allowing me to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working 20-35 hours per week, depending on the number of substitution shifts I picked up.
This position encompassed a variety of responsibilities — acting as a receptionist, janitor, evening manager, and even a salesman. My favorite part was giving tours to prospective member and helping them decide to join the YMCA.
In February 2020, I accepted a full-time role at Oriental Trading Company and reduced my YMCA hours to a 5-hour weekend shift. After parting with Oriental Trading in July due to company restructuring, I returned to 20-hours/week schedule.
Alongside this role, I also took on freelance graphic design projects for several personal trainers at the YMCA. I created custom business cards, t-shirts, and stickers to help them grow their personal brands.
Career Lately
Catalog Planner (2020)
In February 2020, I joined Oriental Trading as a Catalog Planner, overseeing merchandising layouts for the Faith and Adult Party categories. One of the most rewarding aspects of this role was analyzing product performance based on previous catalog data—uncovering the unique factors that contributed to a product’s success. It gave me a deeper appreciation for strategic assortment planning and the nuances of customer engagement.
Beyond the work itself, the company culture stood out. The energy within the building was genuinely positive, and Oriental Trading quickly became a place I looked forward to coming to each day. Unfortunately, after more than six months in the role and amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, my position was eliminated during a company-wide restructuring.
Assistant Craft Merchant (2021)
In March 2021, a former colleague from my time in the catalog department helped me land an interview for a merchandising assistant position—and I was thrilled to return. I was hired to support the Crafts merchandising category, an energetic and creative space that aligned perfectly with my interests.
In this role, I contributed to new product development and leveraged my background in graphic design to provide thoughtful critiques and direction to our design team. I also managed the creation of all sample projects used in photography, ensuring every craft item told a clear, inspiring story to the customer.
Beyond the creative, I dove deep into assortment planning, tackled logistical challenges, and helped identify opportunities for business growth. When the lead merchant left in October 2021, I stepped up and was promoted to Associate Merchant of Crafts—a role that allowed me to fully take ownership of the category and drive strategy with confidence.
Associate Craft Merchant (2022)
After over a year of learning the ins and outs of the craft business, I was thrilled to be promoted. The role gave me greater ownership of the assortment strategy, validating my hard work and commitment. I led the development of over 1,500 product SKUs and assortment kits, focusing on expanding into blue ocean areas of the business.
My approach involved quarterly strategy planning, data-driven analysis, and a constant focus on increasing sales per SKU. I identified assortment gaps, tracked emerging trends, and optimized sub-departments with strong customer demand.
Beyond the craft category, I was also entrusted with leading the KITs project. I transitioned the project from a manual spreadsheet system to full integration within our STIBO PIM system—streamlining workflows and eliminating the workload of two team members. I also trained the merchant team on using Tableau dashboards to monitor kit performance and track inventory outages more effectively.
Toy/Jewelry/Stationery Merchant (2023)
In July 2023, I was promoted to Merchant over several exciting new departments: Non-Seasonal Toys, Stationery, and Jewelry. The move was unexpected but presented a great opportunity to take on fresh challenges and bring a new perspective to each category.
Later that year, I attended the New York Toy Fair to scout innovative product trends and sourcing opportunities. Since taking on this role, I’ve introduced creative themes into our toy assortments, including animals that live in garbage, hybrid creatures, and fresh takes on micro toys. One standout success was the launch of our Micro Duck series, which quickly became a top performer.
In addition to my category responsibilities, I was also selected to join a small merchant task force focused on curating an exclusive product assortment for Amazon. This initiative aimed to directly compete with one of our key Chinese rivals, Joyin, and helped strengthen our marketplace strategy.
In 2023, I drove XXX in new item sales and the best item was the blank.
Toy/Home Decor Merchant (2024)
In April 2024, the company underwent a restructuring, shifting my focus to Non-Seasonal Toys with light involvement in Home Décor. While this wasn’t a major change from my prior responsibilities—where I built themed assortments across several departments—it marked a strategic pivot. The emphasis became clear: we needed to significantly grow our toy offering and boost off-the-shelf purchasing.
As part of this initiative, I was selected to travel to China to meet with key business partners and attend the 35th Canton Fair. The trip was unforgettable (including getting separated from my group on a flight from Taiwan and being voluntold to sing five straight karaoke songs), but also incredibly productive. It allowed me to streamline sourcing processes and select dozens of new items directly with vendors.
During this time, I helped drive significant growth in Character Toys—including ducks, finger puppets, mochi squishies—as well as plush and stress balls. It was exciting to build assortments based on what we knew customers wanted. That year, I drove over [insert figure] in new product sales. One of our biggest wins? A micro duck item that became a viral best-seller.
Toy Merchant (2025)
In late 2024 and early 2025, the company underwent another restructuring, this time driven in part by a leadership change in merchandising at the VP level. As a result, our structure shifted from merchandising by solution to merchandising by department. I now oversee the entire Toy category—both non-seasonal and seasonal.
In March 2025, I returned to the New York Toy Fair to scout innovative ideas that could push our value-driven toy categories forward and help identify new directions for the core business. This trip was also part of a broader company initiative to explore vendor alternatives outside of China, a search that became more urgent amid rising concerns over potential tariff increases.
Our team structure has since evolved into core pods, each with a sourcing specialist reporting to the merchant. When my assigned specialist retired in March 2025, I stepped in to manage both the merchandising and sourcing responsibilities for my category. Balancing both roles has been a challenge—but one that’s continued to sharpen my skills and teach me something new every day.
Learned Technical Suites & Platforms
Passion Projects & More :)
The Mini Wonder Garden
Below is a visual of a fun hobby that came out of COVID. When you can't go out and about, you look for things to do… which might lead you to create a GIGANTIC fairy garden community at your parent's home. Well, that's at least what happened to me. My youngest sister and I have been doing this project for over three years. The plot where this community resides only grows with more residents, and the narrative behind all the experiences unfolds. I love this hobby since it is a great way to be outside and use creativity outside my personal life. I hope you find something that makes you smile!
You can visit mini_wondergarden on Instagram for more!
