Some Favorite Projects
BabyNameWizard.com
CEO & Co-Founder
Described as “Bloomberg for Baby Names,” BabyName Wizard’s distinctive data-driven tools helped a generation of families (and pet owners and novelists) find the perfect name. In 2009, TIME recognized us on their list of 50 Best Websites alongside the likes of Twitter, Amazon, and Spotify. Exited with sale to CafeMedia in 2014.
Case Study
SmartMoney.com
Founding Team, Tech & Product Leader
A joint venture between Dow Jones and Hearst, SmartMoney was a Web 1.0 pioneer in interactive journalism and data visualization that set the standard for digital financial news and information products. The site won several awards, including a prestigious National Magazine Award, for its innovative technology and design, including the Map of the Market. Also developed a B-to-B licensing business to service clients in the financial services sector.
Knewz
Founding Team, Tech & Product Lead
News Corp’s entry into news aggregation was designed to disrupt the category. With an editorial point of view of: “Density! Urgency! Chaos!” Knewz has been described as a mashup of Drudge Report and Vox. The product uses cutting edge AI to augment the capabilities of a traditional tabloid-style editorial team. Bested Y1 traffic targets by 500% in first 6 months of operation. Finalist for WAN-IFRA’s 2020 North American Digital Media Awards in the category Best Digital News Start-Up.
AOL Coaches
Product & Programming Lead
AOL’s first foray into video programming, AOL Coaches delivered interactive “workshops” featuring quizzes, self-evaluations, planners, and printables, alongside chaptered video of bestselling self-help authors. At launch, the program was hailed by the New York Times as “addictive” in the paper’s first-ever review of a digital video product.
sparks & honey
Founding Team
Established the “Cultural Strategy” practice at Omnicom’s start-up agency that connects brands with fast-paced Internet culture. The Daily Culture Briefing I created continues to be a central element of the sparks & honey’s proposition and is webcast daily.
Sweet Defeat
Launch Team
Content and go to market strategy for the direct-to-consumer wellness brand, a supplement that curbed sugar cravings.
Boards & Advisory
Hashtracking
Board Director
Out of the Binders
Board Advisor
New York State Council on the Arts: Literary Technology Assistance Program
Board Advisor
Greenwich, CT RTM Technology Committee
Vice Chair