Professional Experience
I have always been in the communications field, and always will be! I founded and ran Horn Group, the iconic Silicon Valley tech PR boutique for 24 years before being acquired by Finn Partners in 2015. I have counseled well over 400 executives and C-suites on their business and marketing strategies from start-up to unicorn, to those over several billion in global revenue. I help companies clarify their vision and accompanying business strategy, establish their brand relevance, and bring their value propositions to market.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction author
How'd you get here?
I knew in high school that a career in PR and communications was right for me, much to the surprise of my parents, both chemical engineers. The harder the communications challenge, the better, and nowhere is it more apparent than the technology industry. I love telling the stories about how tech innovations can improve the way we live and work… and helping people and businesses to embrace the change created by technology. Communications makes the world go ‘round. No better place than Finn Partners to build on that platform!
I love technology. I love its complexity, and, its inherent simplicity. It changes how we live and work. But, change is hard. As a change agent, I work to make change more acceptable to the people and businesses it touches. And I live to set the record straight on what is the truth. My tools are the written and spoken word, and pictures.
Communications makes the world go ‘round. When we communicate poorly, talks break down, things don’t move forward, or worse, they take a step back. As a child of German scientists and immigrants who could not speak English, my desire to be understood and accepted became my mission in life. It’s ironic that technology, regardless of its form or function, wants the same outcome.
At Horn Group, a digital PR agency I founded 25 years ago in Silicon Valley, I had the opportunity to work with the top technology chief executives, visionaries and financiers of our generation. We were able to bring stories to life about the first client/server software applications and ecommerce marketplaces, and new personal desktop security systems to the latest consumer lifestyle apps. We helped startups go-to-market for the first time, fast growth emerging companies track toward their IPO or acquisition, and we supported large established brands looking to reinvent and rebrand. Regardless of size, it was all about the transformation of these companies from one stage to another and the role that PR played in their success. Now, I am privileged to have found such a wonderful home for Horn Group at Finn Partners. As Technology Practice leader, I get to do so much more on a bigger stage, with more firepower, and with really excellent people around the country. In addition to this work, I serve on the advisory boards of The Jordan Edmiston Group, Illuminate Ventures, and AirPR.
My other lifelong quest is to show my two daughters, Grace and Christina, that they can make their dreams come true. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you are man or woman. It only matters that you do your homework, keep a level head, ask the right questions, and never give up.
I live in the two greatest U.S. locations to do all this: New York and San Francisco. And I am proud to have a M.S. in Public Relations from Boston University and a B.A. in American Studies from Hobart/William Smith Colleges, both of which helped me learn how to think strategically and work passionately.