Education: University of Missouri, Columbia

Favorite meal: “I love Thai food and anything tapas.”

Hobbies: “Traveling. Wine tasting. Exercising – especially tennis, running and circuit boxing. I also love to read, decorate and cook for guests.”

Favorite Movie: “I like a lot of movies, but my all-time favorite is A League of Their Own.”

Tell us about your most obscure job: “I worked in the Lakeside Café in the St. Louis Zoo. On my first day, all I did was make chilidogs. I did not work there for very long and I didn’t eat a hot dog for about year after that.”

What did you want to be as a kid? “An actress.”

song you are embarrassed to say you know the words to: “I’m horrible at knowing the words to songs. I actually have a tendency to make up my own lyrics and often get corrected by my friends. One song I could easily rattle off, which is bit embarrassing, is the theme song from the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bellaire.”

What’s your biggest achievement? “I’m not sure I’ve achieved it quite yet, but I’m getting there.”

What’s your soap opera name (middle name + street you live on)? “Elizabeth Chelmsford.”

What’s your favorite drink? “Red wine, probably a Sangiovese or Spanish Grenache.”

if you could go on a shopping spree in one store, what store would you choose? “Nordstrom’s.”

What got you into the business in the first place? “I originally wanted to be a news reporter, so I decided to go to Mizzou. But after taking a few J-School classes and visiting the Columbia news station, I started to have my doubts. Then, an advertising professor, Cindy Frisby, spoke to one of my classes and I instantly knew advertising was the route to go.”

What attracted you to Kuhn & Wittenborn? “Everyone I interviewed with was extremely nice and personable. They seemed to have a great collaborative and energetic environment that definitely appealed to me.”

What was a big influence in your career? “Mark Schaeffer and Tyler Martin. They were the first bosses I had in the business. I really learned more from them in the first year of working than I did during my entire college career.”

What was your finest moment, the thing you’re most proud of? “One of my finest professional moments was organizing a press event for Destiny’s Child at the Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis. It was a stressful event that I managed to pull off with flying colors.”

What makes a good brand? “A great brand sells stuff. It needs to be easily recognizable and form an emotional tie with consumers. If it’s truly great, it should have a positive impact on the sales and market value of any product and/or service associated with it.”

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? “First, I like to submerge myself in my clients’ businesses, learn about their philosophies and fully understand who they are and what they stand for. Next, I think it’s important to establish clear objectives and understand what they want to accomplish with their advertising. Finally, it comes down to figuring out that one big idea, and a strategy to make it all work. For that, I usually collect my own thoughts, and then brainstorm with a group of account and creative people to come up with a concept that is in line with the clients’ objectives and a strategy that exceeds their expectations.”

What driving career goals do you still have? “I’d like to continue to advance in the account service area of advertising. However, I’d also like to find the time to write a book.”

What talent do you wish you had? “I wish I could sing, or have some sort of musical talent.”

If you had to live on desert island, what would you miss most? “My family, friends and cats.”

What is your favorite sports team? “The St. Louis Cardinals.”

What’s your point of view about politics? “That you’re not supposed to talk about them at work!”

What’s your favorite TV show? “I love Seinfeld and quote it often. It’s completely relatable and in my opinion has the perfect sense of humor.”

Least favorite TV show? “I think Nanny 911 and Wife Swap are probably two of the worst shows currently on TV.”

What was it like for you growing up? “I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. I was lucky because I had a permanent best friend from the age of two on, my sister Annie. We kept each other constantly entertained.”

What was college like? “I loved college. I made wonderful friends, got a great education and learned a lot about myself. Oh…and I started dating the man I married!”

Do you have a favorite website? “I love wikipedia.com. If I am ever unsure of the meaning of a word or subject, I look it up there.”

How about your favorite blog? “I’m not a big blog person, but I do enjoy looking at RetailMeNot.com – great for online promo codes!”

Claim to fame: “I was ping-pong champion at my old work and now I’m dart champion here at Kuhn & Wittenborn.”

What makes you laugh the hardest? “My husband, Mike.”

What would you do if you won $1 million dollars? “I’d pay off my student loans, cars, etc. Then I would probably take my family on a fabulous European vacation.”

What is your favorite vacation spot? “My husband and I went to Italy for our honeymoon. I had the time of my life.”

Your little-known talent or ability: “I have a few card and bar tricks up my sleeve, as well as a weird arm trick that’s hard to explain in writing.”

Celebrity resemblances: “I don’t know. I have heard Uma Thurmon and Daryl Hannah – but I think it’s just because I’m tall and have blond hair.”

Childhood role model: “My mom. She is a strong, smart independent woman with a lot of common sense.”