Role: Director of Education, American Booksellers Association (2022–2025)

As the national education lead for ABA, I oversaw learning experiences for thousands of independent booksellers. My challenge was to transform a legacy education program into something scalable, inclusive, and genuinely useful—meeting the evolving needs of booksellers navigating both physical and digital retail.

I applied experience design principles to deeply understand user needs, drawing on member councils, surveys, and real-time feedback loops. By restructuring the program around modular learning, we improved accessibility and retention, moving beyond static presentations to dynamic, on-demand resources that fit busy professional schedules.

Highlights include designing large-scale conferences and initiatives that fostered community and professional growth, alongside new platforms and content formats that reached members at all experience levels. This work wasn’t just about content—it was about building trustworthy, intuitive systems that respected users’ time, context, and goals.

Role: Store Manager, Third Place Books Seward Park (2017–2022)

Managing a bustling community bookstore was real-time service design. Every operational choice—from layout to inventory systems to team workflows—was informed by user needs. I curated product placement to align with customer behavior, optimized signage for wayfinding, and created training and support systems that reduced friction for staff while improving the customer experience.

When the pandemic hit, I led a thoughtful, iterative transformation of store operations: virtual events, curbside pickup, and enhanced online experiences. These changes weren’t reactive—they were community-centered solutions designed to maintain connection and engagement in a shifting environment.

Role: Lead Receiver, The Elliott Bay Book Company (2015–2017)

At Elliott Bay, I found elegance in systems. I redesigned receiving and inventory workflows, balancing technical system logic with frontline usability. By standardizing metadata practices, I improved discoverability, simplified staff training, and enhanced the customer experience.

I also developed SOPs and internal documentation that anticipated user needs, transforming basic instructions into tools that empowered staff. Every process was treated as an experience—one that could either frustrate or empower—and I designed for the latter.

Role: Inventory Manager & Assistant Manager, WORD Bookstore (2015–2017)

WORD’s Jersey City location was a blank canvas, and I got to design the user journey from the ground up. I shaped everything from floor plans and signage to inventory logic and events, creating experiences that reflected the neighborhood’s needs.

Through data analysis, customer feedback, and community engagement, I iterated on merchandising and inventory strategies, expanding offerings through consignment and local partnerships. My dual role in management allowed me to build both operational systems and a welcoming community hub, ensuring every touchpoint—physical or operational—was intentional, efficient, and human-centered.

Roles at Powell’s Books (2008–2013)

At Powell’s, I learned to navigate complexity at scale across seven locations. I helped centralize ordering and developed an automated backlist reorder system, translating individual buyers’ philosophies and processes into a scalable solution.

This required extensive interviews with book buyers, collaborating with developers to provide SQL-based logic, and working with software designers to integrate the system into existing inventory management tools. I also led initiatives to streamline receiving, metadata management, and training, grounding every effort in usability, clarity, and long-term sustainability.