3 Fun Facts
- I used to live in Italy and io parlo italiano!
- I was on my high school bowling team.
- I have a 13-year-old Chihuahua named Rico – he’s my best bud!
What would you tell your younger self about economic development?
Well, considering I had never even heard of economic development until I was nearly 6 years into my career (customer success at Yelp), anything about ED would have been news to my younger self! I would tell my younger self, who was just exploring and learning about the ED space, that it is an incredibly rewarding career that affords you the opportunity to work with the best people. Every day is different and there are so many facets to the profession that it allows you to stretch into unfamiliar spaces and learn something new, or lean into your zone of genius and really become an expert in your specific area of interest. I’m passionate about working with small businesses and exploring how people interact with the built environment. I find it fascinating how factors like walkability and access to public transit shape our quality of life, which is why economic development is the perfect intersection of my interests.
What’s something you wish you knew before starting your current role?
I would just remind myself that it’s ok to not immediately be an expert in everything (I still have to remind my myself of that)! I wish I realized earlier on in my career that life is one big experiment and every job and role you have is an opportunity to learn more about yourself, what you’re passionate about, and what you’re skilled at. You don’t have to stay in one track just because that’s where you’ve been the past 4 years or just because that’s what you studied in school. Life is about experimenting and expanding!
What advice do you have for up-and-coming economic developers?
Be insatiably curious about the people and world around you. There is so much incredible work being done in Arizona by passionate, hardworking people. Take every opportunity to connect – oftentimes that means slowing down and listening more deeply. Ask lots of questions – start with why! Find a mentor!
Who do you look up to in the field, and what advice might you give young professionals about mentorship?
Oh, there’s so many! Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Director of Economic Development at Pima County, immediately comes to mind. He is one of the first economic developers I spoke to when I was considering pivoting my career to economic development. He is truly a mentor at heart and cares deeply about lifting up his peers and encouraging the next generation of economic developers. Liza Buchanan, VP of Marketing at Sunstate Equipment, is the reason I got involved in AAED in the first place and has been an incredible mentor to me. She has held up a mirror for me and helped me see things in myself that I didn’t know were there, and taught me how to really listen to stakeholders and meet them where they’re at.
What’s a recent economic development/career win you have experienced?
It’s really exciting to be a part of the Downtown Phoenix Digital Twin rollout. We’re currently using the tool to visualize under construction and in development multifamily projects and we are also thinking about how it can be used for things like affordable housing mapping, shade and tree inventories, and traffic flow forecasting. I was also very proud to help a new menswear retailer recently open up shop Downtown. The owner was initially strongly opposed to moving to Arizona Center, but after listening to him about what he was looking for, discussing his options, and meeting with the new property owners of AZ Center, he felt like it was exactly what he’d been looking for. I love working as a matchmaker to help connect folks to the right place or people. P.S. Suits by Keystone is now open at the Arizona Center, offering the highest quality suits at the best prices in the valley!