I’m from Ohio and found a path to college to be a teacher. I was always interested in sorting through things and making displays. As a big sister, I got pretty good at changing processes to help others, and looked for career opportunities with continuous improvement and change. I also found deep satisfaction working behind the scenes theatre in college. I loved school and finished my graduate degree in 2009. After about 10 years of classroom teaching and 7 years in workforce development social work, I was kinda done with staff meetings. I finished beautifully renovating my condo, and reflected on my grandfather’s legacy, the success I had working one-on-one with dozens of people from many walks of life, and felt compassion of several mentors. By March of 2023, I was pretty tired of arbitrary performance evaluations and created an LLC. Another iteration of making the best of things. Every spring I plant some veggies and flowers, and get more confident in my landscaping skills. Self-employment is like continuous interviewing with better stakes. I feel that my people-centered, organizational mindset, and plethora of monetizable hobbies are worthwhile to add value in the community. 

I grew up in a family that values history, that people are significant, as we do in typical middle America. We had plates, photos, lamps from great aunt Josephine and people enjoyed talking about them. When I bought a condo in 2021, I got to fully renovate it, and really had an opportunity to establish my own value for space and stuff. I had to make decisions and carry boxes and explain the process to other people. I have a treasure shelf now, and my family has seen it. It’s a premium experience, to have that sense of dignity about home, and to share the process of organizing with others. 

About landscaping: Similar…I love when people love their yards!

I grew up gardening with family, mostly veggies, but we also enjoyed cut flowers and maintaining the trees and shrubs for their natural glory. I’ve managed my own space here in Madison for a decade, and have several seasons of practice with master gardeners removing invasive ground cover, shrubs, trees. When the weather isn’t great for yardwork, I read UW Extension and other scientific articles about the species to look for in local spaces. I pull weeds from the roots, prune less than 1/3 of a shrub, and handle brush according to city ordinances. I can transplant some plants and coach you in shopping and establishing new species. Check out the services page for photos and help me add some to the gallery!

Some folks want color-coded plastic totes to feel like their space is all set. Other folks are happy to have some stacked and sharpie-labeled cardboard boxes. Most people are somewhere in between and I’ve heard of most of the popular strategies, can apply whatever you prefer. We can sort by what brings you joy, shuffle stuff around so things can be found faster, categorize hobbies and memorabilia, and downsize. My skills are strongest in seeing a space for it’s function, and holding focus on whatever success looks like for you. Yes, I’m a tidy person, but every mess has purpose, too.

I’ve always enjoyed upcycling! I learned to strip, sand, and finish-coat furniture and house wood work from Mom. I learned to navigate hand-tools from Dad, and my college work-study job in technical theatre. I redid antique dresser and a coffee table in high school, have built a dozen sets of stairs, and really enjoy the process. In renovating my condo, I painted every square inch, installed LVP flooring and vinyl baseboards, and have built custom shelving a few times. I reupholstered a family heirloom chair. Managing chemicals, keeping the workspace clean, and selecting finish materials are equally as important as the hand-labor itself in the successful completion of a project.

Active listening, follow through on requests, detail-orientation are all key in the ways I work to understand you. It’s important that you know me, that you feel respected, and that your choices are the final decision on our work together. Some folks are find the biggest value in my gentle approach, and others are relieved for my energy to work independently. I sometimes act like a teacher, or a social worker, or a neighbor…and that’s all the hats I bring to work! I hope that you have a renewed sense of dignity from our work together.

Think macro, communicate about the scope of tasks, resources, timeline, budget, safety, negotiables, milestones and deliverables. These skills come from managing classrooms and social programming as well as corporate projects. The main coordinator skill is continuous communication about resources and milestones, such that the level of completion continues to be reasonable. Some folks feel more comfortable holding the decision-making control at all times, and others appreciate that I bring a sense of flow and accountability to the work.

I have a Master of Education degree, and was a certified teacher through Wisconsin Dept of Public Instruction. I also have a BA in Technical Theatre (design, tools, management). I was American Red Cross Certified Lifeguard/CPR/FirstAid for 8 years. Further certificates include ServSafe Instructor, Mental Health First Aid, Diversity Equity Inclusion participation, and youth group approved chaperone.

Traits of exceptional strength include active listening, empathy, de-escalation, innovation, analysis, decisiveness, intuition, internal motivation, catalyst, loyalty, honesty.