Culture & Listening · Portland, OR
Building cultures where people feel safe to speak.
Six years of culture work — now fully focused on listening and engagement. I create the conditions for honest conversation, make sense of what people share, and turn insight into actions leaders can actually take.
"The silence after 'any questions?' isn't an engagement problem. It's a trust problem."
Trust doesn't show up in survey scores first. It shows up in whether someone feels safe enough to raise their hand in a room — built conversation by conversation.
"Listening without follow-through erodes trust faster than not asking at all."
Every survey, focus group, and pulse check is a promise. The loop has to close — or people quietly stop sharing and start giving safe answers.
"The hard things don't disappear. They just come out later in a postmortem."
When people feel genuinely safe, they tell you the truth upfront. Creating that safety isn't a soft goal — it's the whole job.
Philosophy
Trust is built
through behavior.
Not declared in a values slide. Not measured in a single survey. It's built — or eroded — in the everyday moments: how leaders respond to hard questions, whether people see evidence their feedback mattered, and whether the loop ever closes.
Safety is the prerequisite
Psychological safety isn't automatic — it has to be created. When people feel genuinely safe, they tell you the truth. When they don't, you get polished answers. Every listening channel I design starts from that foundation.
Data needs narrative
Numbers tell you what happened. Stories tell you why it matters and what to do about it. The work lives in the translation — finding the thread that connects scores, open text, and human experience into something an organization can act on.
The loop has to close
Reflecting back what you heard. Being clear about what's changing and why. When something can't change, having the honest conversation about that too. People handle honesty far better than silence — and that honesty is what builds lasting trust.
Approach
The listening loop
Four connected steps — each one building conditions for the next. The goal isn't a completed survey. It's a culture where people believe what they share actually matters.
Design listening channels — surveys, 1:1s, focus groups, ERG sessions — where every person believes their voice has a genuine path in.
Blend quantitative scores with qualitative themes to build an honest, complete picture — pulling signal from the noise.
Translate data into a story where everyone can see how they fit — and understand what the organization is choosing to do about what it heard.
Coach leaders to move from insight to impact — visible, measurable actions that close the loop and rebuild the trust that makes future listening possible.
Listening channels
Every voice,
every channel
Different channels surface different truths. The goal is a listening ecosystem — not a single survey — where people can share honestly in the format that works for them.
Structured, consistent surveys designed so managers can respond to their teams in real time — not just file results away.
Facilitated conversations that surface the texture behind the numbers — the context no multiple-choice question can fully capture.
Equipping managers to hold better conversations and play back what they heard — because the most important listening happens between a person and their lead.
Employee Resource Groups as a listening infrastructure — front-line intelligence on belonging, inclusion, and what's really happening at the ground level.
How people describe your culture when you're not in the room is data too. Managing external reputation authentically and using it to inform internal change.
Video content, newsletters, and narratives that close the loop publicly — showing employees their feedback created real, visible change.
Thinking out loud
Ideas worth sharing
Writing about what I'm learning — on trust, listening, leadership, and the work of building cultures where people actually speak up.
Trust & Safety
Before a big change, ask: if this fails, what will we say caused it? When people feel safe, they tell you the truth upfront — not in a postmortem when it's too late.
Read on LinkedIn →Leadership
Trust shows up in whether someone feels safe enough to raise their hand in a room. When leaders model genuine curiosity consistently, something shifts.
Read on LinkedIn →Closing the Loop
When feedback leads nowhere, people notice — they just don't say anything. They give safe answers on the next survey. Trust is built by what you do after you listen.
Read on LinkedIn →Video
Ideas in practice
Short videos on listening, trust, and the work of building cultures where people feel seen. Coming soon — follow along on LinkedIn for updates.
Videos are in production. Follow on LinkedIn → to be notified when they drop.
Colleagues say
In their words
Recognition and feedback from colleagues across six years of culture and listening work. Quotes are being gathered and approved — check back soon.
A colleague quote on listening and creating safe spaces is coming here soon.
Pending approval
A colleague quote on culture work and collaboration is coming here soon.
Pending approval
A colleague quote on ERG leadership and employee engagement is coming here soon.
Pending approval
Colleague quotes are in the process of being approved. In the meantime, view recommendations on LinkedIn →
Experience
The work
Seven years at WP Engine — starting in operations, moving into culture, and now fully focused on listening and engagement. The through-line has always been people.
2025 – Present
Listening & Engagement Specialist, Lead
WP Engine
Leading company-wide engagement survey operations end-to-end. Serving as internal culture coach for HR partners and managers — helping teams interpret feedback, identify themes, and take targeted action. Owning employer brand reputation strategy and compliance training operations.
2023 – 2025
Sr. Talent Manager & DEI Program Manager
WP Engine
Led development and execution of a company-wide Employee Listening & Engagement Strategy. Drove 92% global survey participation — a company record. Led rollout of a continuous listening platform company-wide. Managed strategy for seven Employee Resource Groups.
2021 – 2023
DEI Specialist
WP Engine
Launched four new ERGs, built DEI communications infrastructure, facilitated listening sessions to surface inclusion themes, and supported KPI tracking and executive reporting on belonging and culture metrics.
2018 – 2021
Workplace Services Sr. & Office Manager
WP Engine
Managed HQ operations. Built the cross-functional relationships and people instincts that would later anchor all of the culture and listening work.
2017 – 2018
Office Manager
Geek Powered Studios · Austin, TX
Executive Assistant to the CEO. Supported HR, onboarding, and culture initiatives.
2008 – 2012
B.S. Political Science
University of Arkansas
2024
"You Rock" Award
WP Engine
2022
Supercharged Culture Award
WP Engine
Contact
Let's build
something better.
If you're looking for someone who can help your organization listen better, act on what they hear, and build cultures where people actually want to show up — let's talk.