About

challenging. fulfilling. useful.

Work

any activity — paid or unpaid — that serves you + others.

Origin story

G O O D W O R K began with a vision to provide great HR/People services to small mission-driven companies and nonprofits doing good in the world. My partner, Leonie McConville, and I shared a common vision + mission + values that drove us to partner deeply with our clients, provide open access to our tools, enjoy the heck out of our work, and have balance in our lives. Leonie moved on to new adventures while I followed a passion to focus on coaching, advisory, and facilitation.

My Wayfinding Journey

01 Grocery store checker. Food server. Assembly line worker. Bank teller. Sandwich maker. Babysitter. Tutor. Receptionist. I did it for spending money and to help pay for school. I learned that I liked to work, and the people I worked with mattered. A lot.

02 Fresh out of an MBA, I fell into a career in finance, ultimately serving as treasurer of Amgen and CFO of several small biotech companies. I did it because I was supposed to. It was heady and exciting. I had incredible, generous mentors. AND, it never felt quite right. It exhausted rather than energized me.

03 Working in my kid’s classrooms during a mid-career break led to teaching elementary school. I did it because I was curious. It changed my life. I discovered my passion for understanding what enables people to thrive. If a GREAT classroom has solid classroom management, high standards, and is a safe and encouraging place (physically and psychologically) to learn, wouldn’t that translate to our workplaces?

04 Upon re-entry to the business world, I quickly found my way to the people side. It felt like my shoulders lowered about ten inches — the ease of working in sync with my purpose and values. I headed up the people function at a few organizations, and with Leonie, established a consulting business serving small mission-driven companies and nonprofits. I did it because it felt right. It pulled me in, and I’ve never tired of working to get better at it.

05 The profound impact of coaching and connecting organizations to their solid core — vision + mission + values — led me to focus on this work. The icing on the cake is teaching business courses to college students. I’m doing it because it’s G O O D W O R K.

And the journey continues…

Wayfinding takes a village, and a village I did have — of generous mentors, fully human leaders, a great business partner and teacher, and before all that, a character on a TV show that changed my life.

Gratitude to all