Pull the Thread.

Inclusion matters to me because everyone should be able to bring their background and their voice into the conversation.

I believe we do our best work when people with different cultural backgrounds can contribute openly. Each person brings experiences, questions and ways of seeing a problem that someone else may not have considered. I want to be part of teams where those differences are heard and valued.

To me, diversity is more than representation. It creates room to challenge assumptions and find creative solutions together. I believe a team can become more innovative and productive when people feel able to share ideas, learn from one another and shape the outcome.

That belief connects to Made With Culture, an academic business concept I developed with a partner. We explored contemporary eveningwear that would help customers express their cultural identity and stay connected to their roots. The project helped me think about inclusion not only within a team, but also in the choices and experiences a brand offers its customers.

The perspective I bring: make room for different voices, then let what we learn from one another shape the work.

• Inclusion
• Cultural perspective
• Collaboration

I found ways to connect before I had all the words.

When I moved to America, I did not know English. That experience taught me how important communication is between those who teach and those who learn. It also showed me how much connection matters when trying to find a sense of community.

Even while learning English, I found ways to share my ideas, have them heard and build relationships. I learned that communication is not limited to speaking the same language. Being willing to connect mattered, even when I could not express everything exactly as I wanted.

I could have stayed longer in my English language learning classes, where I felt comfortable. Instead, I chose to move into regular classes taught in English. It was scary and challenging, but taking that step helped me grow faster and go further.

I believe we grow most where we still have more to learn. Staying comfortable can feel safe, but I do not want fear of the unknown to decide how far I can go.

• Communication
• Community
• Courage to learn

What stayed with me was not how the coat looked. It was what wearing it meant to her.

Creating garments for student fashion shows gave me a personal lesson in understanding the wearer. The women modeling were students volunteering their time and trusting me with how they would feel in the clothing. Body positivity mattered to me, and I wanted them to feel heard in the decisions, not simply included in the final presentation.

One of the models, who was plus-size, wore my repurposed denim coat. She later told me it helped her feel beautiful and confident again after a difficult time during COVID. Her words stayed with me because they showed me something I could not understand from the garment alone: what the experience meant to the person wearing it.

That moment deepened how I see the consumer’s perspective. I want to understand what someone hopes to feel, what concerns them and what makes a choice right for their life. It has made me more intentional about listening rather than assuming that my idea of the right product is theirs.

The lesson I carry forward: a thoughtful product choice begins with making someone feel understood, not simply knowing what to recommend.

• Consumer empathy
• Body positivity
• Listening with care

I want to help customers see more possibilities in the clothes they choose, not simply more things to buy.

I grew up learning to use what I had fully and think creatively before replacing it. I carry that mindset into how I think about clothing. Helping someone imagine the same piece in different outfits, or find another way to use it as their needs change, can be just as meaningful to me as introducing something new.

In Baby Bloom, a team class project, I contributed to the product section. We explored adjustable cuffs, elastic waistbands and detachable sections so the same garment could offer different ways to wear it as a child grew. The concept connected a family’s changing needs with our intention to keep clothing useful for longer.

For me, sustainability also carries an ethical responsibility. I want to consider how the people behind a garment are treated, not only which materials are used. Customers deserve honest information, too. I would rather acknowledge where a product needs improvement than make a claim I cannot support.

The principle I bring: find more value in each garment, with care for both the people behind it and the person who wears it.

• Versatility
• Ethical responsibility
• Transparency

My starting point is not what I want to sell. It is what the customer needs and why it matters to them.

Working at Banana Republic has made me attentive to the questions behind a purchase. Customers have asked me about fit, choosing for someone else and options they did not know were available. Those conversations remind me to understand the person’s uncertainty before making a recommendation. My MBA is helping me connect that attention to the bigger picture of a business.

In our academic mock buying project for Macy’s, my partner and I considered four customer groups across three locations. We looked at geography, income, lifestyle and shopping behavior, then recommended more tourist-oriented infant girls’ clothing for the New York location. The exercise helped me connect a merchandise recommendation to the people a store serves.

Now, I try to approach each decision with a clear purpose: understand the customer, examine the information and consider the resources involved. I also value perspectives that challenge my own. A recommendation should explain not only what to do, but whose need it addresses and how it fits the brand.

The approach I bring: listen carefully, research with intent and connect each recommendation to a real customer need.

• Customer insight
• Commercial thinking
• Purposeful decisions