Most Likely Never to Grow Up -- and Finally Finding the Balance

Sometimes I feel a little silly.

But not because I’m 45 and finally fulfilling my longtime dream of publishing a children’s book. No, I’m 100% proud of that and hope my leap of faith inspires others to do the same, especially my children.

Rather, I feel silly sometimes because of the contrast between my joyful passion project and the career I’ve built around serious, often sensitive topics.

This season of my life is all about balance: serious, corporate messaging and the silly imagination to spark a child's interest.

For years, I’ve led high-performing, talented teams craft strategic messaging and thoughtful stories to open stores and global facilities, protect reputations through crises and promote corporate employer brands.

I believe deeply in the work and in the transparent balance of words.

I believe in the transformative power of communications: their ability to inform, inspire, and ignite action.

Strategic storytelling can build a bank of goodwill in tough times, drive engagement among team members and consumers, elevate reputations within communities, and attract and retain top talent.

I love being part of that change.

But I also cherish the storytelling side of me that embraces entertainment, imagination and, yes, silliness.

Crafting a book that is picked up by little hands – again and again – where children get lost in adventure, giggle at the surprises, and beg for “just one more time” is a dream come true.

It’s a different kind of impact, but no less meaningful.

Did you know that in a high school mock election, I was voted Most Likely Never to Grow Up?

It’s laughable now – because even back then, I was far too grown up for my own good. I was hyper focused on my career, determined to make the right choices, and always looking ahead. I knew what I wanted and wasn’t afraid to go for it.

I was once voted Most Likely Never to Grow Up!

But maybe that mock election title was a special kind of foreshadowing (even though realistically it was probably because I was so short with a childlike figure). Because here I am, years later, balancing a serious corporate communications career with a children’s book about Santa in his offseason. And yes – by comparison, it’s undeniably silly.

Yet there’s something truly liberating about leaning into that silliness. It reminds me that imagination and dreams aren’t just for children. It’s for anyone brave enough to step outside the lines, to create something joyful, and to share it with the world.

This season of my life is about embracing both sides.

Because in both worlds – corporate communications and children’s books – I’m shaping narratives that connect, comfort, and inspire. One might be a message that calms a community during a crisis; the other, a whimsical tale that sparks joy before bedtime.

Maybe it’s not silly at all.

Maybe that’s the magic: to know the power of words and to use them intentionally to make a difference.