I’ve always been more interested in how things hold together than how they look.
Brighten Creative was built from that instinct.
I don't make surface-level decisions. (I once spent three days researching the perfect ironing board. It's a gift and a curse.) And I don't build brands that rely on urgency or performance to hold together.
I care about fit (blog post on that soon), longevity, and building a system that actually supports your growth — not the kind that falls apart the second your life or business starts to shift.
How I Learned to See What Others Miss
My perspective didn't come out of nowhere.
Since 2012, I've been ping-ponged back and forth across the U.S. every 1-3 years, moved to Japan (longest home to date), and solo parented my kids for months at a time. I've worked in software, project management, yoga instruction, and now I'm a virtual high school facilitator in Japan while building this business. I was late-diagnosed with anxiety and ADHD in my mid-30s, and now as a fresh 40-something, I'm finally done apologizing for taking up space.
That's the throughline I bring to brand strategy. I recognize patterns across unrelated contexts. I see what holds when circumstances change. I notice the quiet inconsistencies most people overlook — and I help founders translate instinct into clarity so their brands can grow without constant reinvention.
This work isn't about imposing a vision. It's about recognizing one that's already forming, then giving it the support to grow without losing its integrity.
principles, not promises
These aren't things I promise to do.
They're what everything is already built on.
Clarity Over Urgency
I don’t rush decisions just to feel productive. The goal is understanding first, so what we build holds up without constant revisiting.
Lead with Compassion
Respect is standard. I listen before advising. Boundaries are clear because clarity is compassion. The design process is collaborative, not transactional.
Authenticity Beats Trends
Every experience you've had brought you here: the wins, the weird detours, the life you've lived. That's what makes your brand distinct. We build from that, not fleeting trends.
Systems Before Surfaces
Visuals matter, but they’re never the starting point. I build the structure first, so the design can evolve without losing its logic or coherence.
Sustainable Growth
I design brands you can sustain, not performances you have to keep up. A brand that still fits even as your business, audience, or context changes.
Accessibility, Diversity, & Inclusion
I design with WCAG-compliant color contrast, legible fonts, and test for colorblindness. I suggest diverse stock photography that reflects both you and your audience, and use considerate language throughout. Your authentic story matters, and this work reflects that intentionally, not performatively.
Accessibility, diversity, and inclusion aren't extras in your brand strategy and visual system — they're the baseline.
12 Things That Probably Explain a Lot
Leaning fully into my ADHD and cougar-puberty era
Japan is shaping up to be the longest place I’ve lived as an adult
I love tattoos
I left project management to be a stay-at-home mom for ten years
My first post-college job was assigning tariff import codes to semi-truck parts
Oreos dipped in milk, always
I keep a dedicated chapstick in every place I frequent
I read 30 books in 2024, 50 in 2025, and I’m quietly eyeing 75 in 2026
I’m certified to teach yoga and prenatal yoga
I loathe pickles
7-Eleven is my favorite konbini
I'm a sucker for a crossword puzzle
