It was 11:30 PM on a Friday, and I was pacing—agonizing over a decision I’d made hours earlier that was ambiguous, urgent, and carried real reputational risk for Stripe. Then, unexpectedly, clarity struck me. I had operated with integrity on behalf of the company, using all available information and expert consultation.  In short, I knew I was doing my absolute best, and I really had nothing to fear.  I knew I could defend my decisions and figure out how to respond if the worst-case scenario played out. 

That realization changed everything. Leadership is about strategy, vision, and connection, yes—but it’s also about courage. The guts to speak hard truths, make calls in ambiguity, chart a course without complete information, and not be afraid of being wrong. 

I’m a strategist by training, but after almost 5 years at Bain, I was itching to get into and run a business myself. Being an operator in early, late, and high-growth tech companies is where I learned what it really takes to run and build a business day in and day out. Strategy is hard because it’s about taking calculated risks and facing the unknown in an attempt to win. But I’d humbly offer that execution is harder because it’s all about people. How do you paint the vision and create clarity? Empower employees from the top to the bottom to take ownership of a problem or opportunity? Ensure that they’re doing the right things and that the strategy is the right one? And then how do you do it again and again as the landscape continues to shift?  

The culminating insight of my 20 years of experience is that the real value unlock comes from the integration of strategy, operating, and a deep understanding of people. That passion for understanding people, how they can shift their mindsets and behaviors to achieve incredible transformations personally and professionally, is what’s brought me to Trium.

Outside of Trium, I call Seattle home, and I live with my husband, two elementary school-aged daughters, and our rescue lab. You’ll find us skiing every weekend in winter and swimming in the lakes and Puget Sound all summer. If you asked my kids what my hobbies are, they’d say reading, walking the dog, and wiping down countertops (ok, I added that last one).