About Me

I grew up the youngest of five in the Finger Lakes region of central New York.

My upbringing was a bit unconventional, I guess. We were homeschooled, which wasn't all bad. We were blessedly steeped in Tolkien, Bill Watterson, Monty Python, and Dire Straits from the get. I was trained in classical piano starting at six and alternated between cursing Debussy's polyphonic fixation and repurposing Satie's chords into lyrical songs that gave voice to the tortuous affairs of my sheltered 12-year-old heart.

When I wasn't writing songs, I was writing and "distributing" a dorky bi-monthly publication called The East River Gazette, offering the latest tea on family happenings (this included an advice column purportedly written by my cat, and recipes for scones).  

I'm thankful I was given time to think, play, read, create and simply be during those formative years. I learned how to instinctively synthesize threads of knowledge as I mined them from various sources: not for the sake of churning out a pat, technically proficient answer, but in order to broaden my points of reference and identify the symphonic through-lines that bind and weave all things big with all things small. 

I have worked extensively as a nonfiction ghost writer, editor, and strategist in the B2B SaaS space, and I am currently the content manager for a PR and digital marketing agency. My bylines for clients across the tech spectrum enjoy regular placement in business mags such as Forbes, Fast Co., and MarTech Times. Prior to my pivot into the tech space, I worked as an associative creative director and brand strategist for a small company based in Nashville, TN and then spent a few years at Princeton directing the development of programs and initiatives designed to increase and diversify membership at several of the University's historic clubs.

My musical endeavors include writing and producing five albums of original music (available for purchase and download on Spotify, Apple, and most other streaming platforms) and being a two-time SAMMY Award winner. I also co-write a song with Grammy-award winning R&B artist H.E.R. 

My upbringing laid the foundation for my approach to work as both a professional and a creative. I'm a curious, highly motivated, principled and playful person with a knack for contextualizing information and making it make sense to others.

Whether the topic at hand has to do with software as a service, the Mendoza line, or Pro Tools, I embrace it until I understand it so deeply I can describe it via at least five analogies and ten bad puns (that's when you know you've really got something by the tail). 

I take great satisfaction in helping companies and brands find the words they need to

- Tell stories
- Be helpful
- Sustain connections
- Grow 

I hope to hear from you soon. 

Best,
Alanna (like banana)