Welcome, New 20Fathoms Members!

Get to know the people who have joined 20Fathoms in the last couple of months.

I have been involved in leading startup initiatives with disruptive technologies and impact for decades. This work spans many different industries including manufacturing, education, healthcare, medical devices, and legal tech. 

Currently, I am a state-wide mentor operating out of the University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships team. Until recently, I was the CEO of Court Innovations, building and leading the Matterhorn online dispute resolution (ODR) platform and team; we grew from an academic idea in 2014 to a SaaS platform located in over 150 locations spanning across 22 US states. At the end of 2021, I stepped down after a successful exit and recapitalization.

I have led or been a part of leadership teams for numerous initiatives, including CNC Connections, Arbor Ultrasound, Edington Associates, ViaDerm, and HealthMedia/Johnson & Johnson. Also, I was actively involved in the first Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center that has been assisting Michigan’s small and medium-sized businesses to compete and grow for over 30 years. My educational background includes an MBA from Eastern Michigan University and a BSEE from the University of Michigan.

Being actively involved in the local economic development and technology infrastructure is important to me. I have been involved in the Ann Arbor and Michigan communities and look forward to further participation.  By joining the 20Fathoms community I hope to increase my involvement in the Traverse City area that I now call home!

Connecting with nature has always been an important and necessary part of my life.  From sailing, kayaking, running, hiking, exploring, cross country skiing and biking, to taking in the beauty of nature or enjoying a great book, there are endless activities here in the Traverse City area that call my name!  As I am learning more about the area, I look forward to expanding my volunteer work with many of these initiatives.

Prior to my current job, I spent over a decade working for the workers of America: the labor movement. My last role there was at the National AFL-CIO developing and running a non-partisan program to train union leadership around the country to identify union members in their ranks that should run for public office. After they were identified, I would train said union members to run for positions like school board, city council, different utility boards, and for the state house or state senate. 

I am now the political director for an organization that works to protect voting rights and modernize voting systems around the country. It’s a tough job to do in this political environment, but someone’s gotta do it! I am truly passionate about the work I do and love that I get to build relationships with state-based and national organizations around the country. Happy to talk one-on-one about this work!

Obviously, the view! But I also just moved (technically still in the process of moving) to Traverse City after 12 years in Washington, D.C. My husband and I bought a gorgeous Victorian home in downtown Traverse City that is currently going through renovations. Because I work for a fully remote organization, I wanted an opportunity to work among other people that are passionate about using technology as a resource to make the world a better place – each in their own unique way.

I love cycling and hiking and am so excited to explore all the trails that Northern Michigan has to offer.  My new house came with a fabulous perennial garden that I’m so excited to maintain. Does going to estate sales count? If so, having to furnish a new home has gotten me to enjoy the hunt for a great piece of furniture. I’m also looking forward to learning how to fish and kayak and paddle board and learn about all the other unique things that the TC area has to offer. If y’all have any tips – hit me up – I’m looking to make new friends in the process! And, just for the record, I spent most of the pandemic at my mother-in-law’s cottage in Bellaire, so I’m not a total newbie to the area – but I’m definitely excited to call TC home moving forward! 

Also, when I’m not traveling for work, I’m likely visiting a new country. My husband and I are set to hit our 50th country this year. Favorite country, you ask? The Republic of Georgia. We’re visiting this May for the fourth time. The food. The wine. The people. The history. I can’t get enough of it. Let me know where you love to travel.  

It’s been a mix of sales and management, an MBA Program, product management, and enterprise software sales. Currently, I work as an Enterprise Account Executive selling into large technology organizations for FWI | Poppulo, which is located in Denver, CO, and helps organizations deliver communications and workplace experiences to their employees. Previously, I worked as a Product Manager for Bosch Power Tools under their Dremel brand in Chicago, IL, as well as for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Orange County, CA.

My wife and I moved to Traverse City from Denver at the beginning of 2021 and don’t have a large network yet, so I figured this would be a great place to begin. Also, since working 100% remote due to Covid, I simply miss being in an office setting. With a little one year old dude hanging out at home, I tend to get more work done here, haha.

I love spending time with my wife, Kelly, and son, Max. That’s my main gig and what brings me the most happiness. Otherwise, I enjoy fly fishing, hanging at the beach in the summer, hiking, snowboarding, exercising, relaxing, grilling, eating good food and drinking good drinks, golfing, traveling, and overall just having fun and hanging with people I enjoy.

A year and a half ago I moved to Traverse City from Chicago where I had been in the public accounting sector since 2015. I left the industry mid-2021 to start the cannabis logistics company Forrest Secure Transport with my cousin. His background of supply chain and sigma six, along with my accounting and situational flexibility, gave us the confidence to take a chance in this new industry. The regulatory nature has made the process thus far incredibly challenging in ways I couldn’t predict, but the lessons learned have made it equally rewarding. We are currently a few weeks away from being fully certified and operational and I cannot wait to see what the rest of this year will bring.

My Dad is current 20Fathoms member Chuck Meek and he started coming here last year. He didn’t need to tell us how much he was enjoying it because we could tell. The few times I visited him, I could tell membership here would be incredibly helpful. It’s pretty great how a distracting view of the lake makes one more productive.

I enjoy the outdoors, live music, movies, history books, and staying active. I am always looking for a new hobby and I’m receptive to all suggestions!

My background is varied and multi-layered. Like many of us, the career that I carefully mapped out in college (broadcast journalism) morphed over the decades into something unexpected. For the past 32 years, I’ve lived in the world of consulting, coaching, and training. Along the way, I’ve started numerous companies but keep finding my way back to helping others build and grow their businesses. My focus areas today include change management, innovation, ethics, and positive psychology. I’ve developed a niche in partnering with some of the world’s best-selling business authors and thought-leaders to turn their intellectual property into workshops and consulting services. My client list includes Fortune 500 companies, healthcare, regional governments, school systems, and local businesses.

I’ve hovered around the tech entrepreneur community since my days as a broadcast engineer and later while directing a regional office of Michigan’s Small Business Development Centers. When Covid sent consultants online to accomplish their work, I ended up working from a home office. While I’m grateful for that pivot, I’ve found it too isolating. 20Fathoms helps provide me with a physical space to be part of a community of innovative thinkers while also re-engaging my sense of personal discipline. (Read: I have to wear pants when I work here!)

I’m an avid cyclist, outdoor adventurer, and sourdough bread baker. Northern Michigan provides me with many opportunities to satisfy all of these passions. When I’m not in motion outdoors or in the kitchen, you can usually find me volunteering with area nonprofits or renovating old houses (where I also tend to wear pants).

My wife and I started our first business in 2016 after working in a corporate sales environment for a few years. We have started and sold several businesses along the way and currently run three separate businesses located in Michigan and Texas.

I wanted a place to get out of my home office and be a part of an inspiring environment where others are hard at work, as well.  It keeps me focused on what I need to accomplish.  I found this at 20Fathoms!

I love enjoying the outdoors with my wife and two boys; we enjoy biking, boating, fishing, pretty much anything outdoors!