My industry experience as both a business leader and lawyer is mostly within Media/Film & TV Entertainment and Hospitality/Theme Parks – starting with 15+ years with Disney in leadership roles within Park Operations, Marketing/PR, and Recruiting (Walt Disney World), and finishing my “cast member” days as Head of Employee Relations for Disneyland. I have been a Labor & Employment attorney for 20 years, including several years as Corporate Employment Counsel for Darden Restaurants. For the past decade, I led global HR, Employee Relations, and Compliance functions at Film, TV, and Music Production Studios including Netflix, NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, Universal Music Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Roku. Prior to pivoting back into Hospitality closer to home in Palm Springs as Head of HR for a Westin Golf Resort & Spa, I had the honor of serving as the inaugural Head of Human Resources for FIFA World Cup 2026.
My very first job at Disney was a Jungle Cruise skipper, and after spending just a few minutes with me (and my sense of humor), it all makes sense! I also was a VIP Tour Guide at Disney, where I hosted high-profile/celebrity guests and their families during their visits to the theme parks. • Chosen as 1996 Walt Disney World Ambassador (the year of WDW’s 25th Anniversary), the most competitive, prestigious honor bestowed to a cast member. Ambassadors serve a one-year term as a primary spokesperson and ‘Emissary of Goodwill’ for high-profile media, internal, and philanthropic initiatives. • As one of only a handful of Film/TV Production HR leaders at the onset of #MeToo, I had the privilege to create/lead the Production HR Programs at Netflix, CBS, Sony Pictures, and Roku. I routinely visited and conducted in-person anti-harassment training sessions to film crews and talent/actors on soundstages worldwide, and – in case anyone ever wondered who from the Film/TV Studio actually talked to famous actors, directors, and producers about their conduct or concerns that were raised – that guy was me, for about 10 years. • I received my bachelor’s degree in business administration (Marketing concentration) at University of South Carolina, a Master of Arts in Corporate Communications and Technology from Rollins College, and my doctoral degree in Law (Juris Doctor) from the University of Florida College of Law. I am an active, licensed attorney and member of The Florida Bar. FUN FACTS: • For several years I was a Paranormal Investigator, and I certainly had some pretty interesting interactions and experiences! I’m not actively investigating at the moment, but I hope to get back into it soon. • I grew up in Boston (Lobstah!) and we had a beach house in Cape Cod. As a teenager, we moved to Hilton Head Island, SC, where I spent almost every day after school on the beach. I lost my Boston accent (parts of it come back now and then) and I never picked up the southern drawl, but I am fluent in speaking and understanding both! Islands have become a comfort zone for me. Because my entire childhood included living and spending time on Islands (and the beach), whenever I go to an island on vacation or to visit family, I get anxiety when I have to leave. It just adds to the irony of the fact that I live in a desert (Palm Springs CA) …ha!
