#introduction #writeeverythingdown
Hi everyone! Quick introduction:
I'm named after my great grandfather's home Kells Bay, Ireland.
I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, but I know live in New York and work with Dreamers // Doers.
I'm an undergrad student studying Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU
I am a yogini and a runner. I became a yoga instructor last Summer.
I'm obsessed with breakfast and am always looking for new ways to make it the highlight of my morning.
I'm passionate about the power of words and the power of vulnerability: "So much effort goes into trying to be perfect. But how much more attractive are the qualities of vulnerability and imperfection?" (Andy from Headspace, Thanks Andy!) So much more attractive!
This is me with my beautiful sister Rory (I'm the one on the right)
I can't wait to get to know all of you better on the new Dreamers // Doers 2.0 smile emoticon smile emoticon smile emoticon
Have a sparkly day!
#introduction #innovation #education #equality and embracing the uniqueness in the individual
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, I spent most of my childhood in a studio: Dancing, however, I think I always possessed an entrepreneurial mindset and had a penchant for ‘pushing the envelope.’ Whether it was ballet or business, I preferred working for companies that were early on, often seeking out additional responsibilities even when I was in the most junior roles to ensure that I would feel like I was having an impact.
Despite my admittance to myself and others (my previous employer included) that I wanted to ‘build something’ it took losing almost everything to finally make the leap. Having had the fortune to be in relatively good health most of my life around 29/30 (I recently turned 35), I began struggling with my mental health. Always independent and probably ‘a fighter’ in some ways to the core, I kept up appearances and outside of my closest friends, my doctor, and my Dean, no one knew - until one day, I couldn’t control it. I felt defeated, flawed, and began to set limits on what I thought I could accomplish. Beginning in late 2013, through 2014, having never before spent a single night in a hospital, I was hospitalized for a total of 6 weeks, 3 two-week periods, over the course of a year; with the final time yielding a diagnosis of schizo-affective disorder…. oddly I was relieved. It felt like an answer to what had seemed like an unanswerable question and I was fortunate to have an extraordinary doctor who - knowing I had likely done wayyyyy too much research - suggested I read Stephen Jay Gould’s, The Median Isn’t the Message, where he discusses all of variables that one should consider when being faced with the statistics regarding any illness; in Gould’s case it was cancer, and in mine, it was this.
The essay inspired me and while in the hospital, I began working on EduNext, an idea I had for an academic/professional portfolio builder for youth; once out, I immediately returned to school and just three weeks later, at an event sponsored by CORE (an entrepreneurship club on campus) I worked up the nerve to pitch my idea to a pretty prominent media CEO and alum after his Talk; he liked it and asked me to send him my concept. I ultimately let go of the project, but it led me to YCFF and the rest, as I’ve written before is (D//D) history.
Just over a year since my last hospitalization, I am healthy, happy, and committed to building and supporting companies I believe in. In fact, it’s funny, the last time I saw my doctor, he questioned the diagnosis entirely. I, do, see a therapist; I don’t take medication (though I’m not against it), and I meditate 2-3x daily. The truth is now, I don’t care about the diagnosis as much - whatever ‘it’ is, it’s part of who I am — and what I’ve had to accept is that I, like every individual, happen to be ‘unique in my own way’ smile emoticon
**** That got a little long, but I do want to share some fun stuff:
What do I dream of?! I’m interested in issues concerning Opportunities for the Underrepresented, namely women and youth; and love Strategy and Operations. As a kid, I had a filing cabinet and it’s kind of my thing to ‘sweat the details’ --- I ultimately want to both build and support/invest in companies that focus on these areas; including the buildout of Global Innovation Centers for Women
For fun? I love jazz and skiing and at the risk of sounding generic, adore every moment I get to spend with friends (in feeling like i lost myself, i realized just how lucky I was to have them!). I also track real estate in Vermont and Taos, New Mexico (for fun) — a personal dream of mine is to live in the city, but have a fair amount of land in either spot (likely it will be VT) and build/buy a cabin
#introduction #dreamersdoers #happa --> challenging the status quo
My story: half german/chinese-malaysian, born in Africa, have always "stood out" (or in other words: had an issue fitting in ;)). Went to college in hong kong - worked on the investment side at a hedge fund for 5 yrs in nyc before switching over to the startup world, working either for other startups (incl grouper, wunwun, conjure etc) or working on my own startups - which eventually led to Dreamers // Doers being created "by accident" - which in more ways than I can count has become my life now (which I am very grateful for). Our vision is BIG - but of course - we're not close to having all the answers yet smile emoticon. (more on our vision here: http://bit.ly/dd-interview)
I'm obsessed w "creating", am sometimes "too honest", and most definitely live to eat...
Some of my dreams include: creating a "startup studio" that works on multiple tech-enabled products geared towards needs of trailblazing women (hugely underserved market IMO) + turning my (now) fiancé into a stay-at-home dad (one of his dreams, too).
Fun fact: I won a cupcake eating competition --> http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/…/when-it-comes-to-char…/…
