The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we profile one of these professionals in this ongoing series.

How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find you)?
Licensing found me early in my career while working in marketing for Foot Locker. I managed a merchandise collaboration between the NFL and Coca-Cola at a Foot Locker retail pop up at the Super Bowl, working with our buyers and Coca-Cola. The co- branded collection sold out and the Coca-Cola execs I worked with were amazing. Shortly after that, a new CEO came to Foot Locker and I was one of the several cuts they made. Learning of this news, Coca-Cola reached out and asked me if I’d like to work in Atlanta and build a co-branded licensing program for Coca-Cola Olympic City for the 1996 Olympic Games. I was taught everything I needed to know to succeed in that role and have loved the licensing industry ever since.

What’s a “typical” day in your current position?
Each day starts with reading about gender equality, the organizations moving the needle in creating it, and reading fashion news and what’s trending for women. Additionally, a typical day includes creating content and promoting our mission on social media, working with my designers, and connecting with brands and retailers who love our mission and who want to grow their women’s sports and entertainment merchandise business with fashion.

What’s your biggest personal or professional accomplishment?
My biggest personal accomplishment is creating a business from a deep passion for sports and frustration in the lack of fashionable women’s merchandise to wear to cheer on my favorite teams. My biggest professional accomplishments include FanGirl Fashionista being accepted as a member of the United Nations UNFPA Equity 2030 Alliance, teaching licensing at NYU, currently teaching at UCLA, and exceeding every financial benchmark with the co-branded licensing program I built for Coca-Cola Olympic City.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in the business in recent years?
I’ve seen a change in more creative design use with logos and brand images, more clever product extensions, and brilliant strategically aligned collaborations.

What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
What keeps me up is worrying about my family and pets, even though everyone is fine. My biggest challenge is getting back into my daily workout schedule and healthier eating habits.

In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
Listening, strategizing, and negotiation skills

What is the best piece of advice you ever received or what is your favorite quote?
“Well Behaved Women Never Make History.”

What is your favorite licensing deal of all time? (It doesn’t have to be one that was signed by you.)
While at Coca-Cola, an independent designer showed up in my office with a drawing of a mini hand-held coke bottle with fan blades on top and said “I’d like a license for Olympic City. It’ll be hot out there for your visitors in July.” I politely told him we don’t work with individuals, have production minimums, and there are fees involved. He must have come back six more times, the last time with a working prototype. I loved his tenacity so much that I showed my team. I signed a deal for him and that mini bottle fan was our best-selling item. I learned never to give up from that man!

If you weren’t in licensing, what would you be doing now?
I’ve always wanted to work as a commercial photographer so, after the Salt Lake Olympics, I went back to school and got a degree in photography. I then worked as an editorial photographer for eight years. I’ve also always wanted to be a paleontologist—dinosaurs are astounding to me. Going on a dig is on my bucket list!