Available to hire
I am a Buying & Merchandising Director with global brand experience at Kate Spade and Michael Kors. I led end-to-end buying and merchandising for a $150M North America business and currently run a real estate investment venture, overseeing underwriting, financial analysis, and asset strategy.
I’ve been promoted five times in 11 years, built and mentored high-performing teams, and partner across Planning, Finance, Product, and Marketing to deliver financially disciplined seasonal strategies. I enjoy turning market insights into differentiated assortments and compelling brand narratives that drive growth.
Experience Level
Work Experience
Director of Buying & Merchandising at Kate Spade
February 1, 2022 - April 30, 2025Led end-to-end buying and merchandising strategy for a $150M North America business across women’s RTW, handbags, and accessories, owning assortment, pricing, and gross margin delivery. Revamped long-range buying strategies, optimizing SKU counts, depth, and category mix to elevate brand vision and contribute to a 3% improvement in gross margin. Realigned buy depth and markdown strategy in collaboration with Global Planning to correct inventory gluts, reducing end of year inventory by approximately 45% and improving overall inventory health. Overhauled promotional strategy in collaboration with Planning, driving 20% sales lift in promoted items and improved sell-through. Delivered executive-level narratives to align Planning, Finance, Product, and Marketing on seasonal strategy, investment priorities, and financial outcomes. Constructed robust financial plans for merchandise, delivering insights that directed assortment choices and optimized investment trade-offs, while managing a $5
Senior Buyer at Kate Spade
March 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022Delivered +8% sales, +16% AUR, +466 bps GM through assortment optimization, reduced promotional depth, and refined pricing strategy. Championed assortment optimization initiatives, decreasing excess inventory by 25% and increasing SKU efficiency by 15%, contributing to sustainable growth and healthier product lifecycles. Introduced data-backed recommendations that guided design and product development toward commercially relevant product strategies. Pioneered a buy tool and SKU projection file utilizing historical sales data and trend analysis, bolstering forecasting precision by 10% and enhanced inventory control across 1,000+ SKUs.
Buyer at Kate Spade
June 1, 2019 - March 31, 2021Reversed a negative business trend from -17% in H1 FY20 to +3% in H2 by applying strategic insights despite macroeconomic challenges. Spearheaded the $80M handbag business, improving cross-functional partnerships with Planning, Design, and Merchandising to ensure product requests were met and drive selection of marketed styles. Developed new buy, SKU projection, FP/MD analysis, and OTB tools to improve forecasting and financial planning.
Buyer at Michael Kors
December 1, 2016 - June 30, 2019Owned the handbag division across US retail and e-commerce, representing 50% of total annual sales. Directed assortment, financial, and merchandising strategy, exceeding FY18 sales plan by +9% ($80M) and gross margin dollars by +10%. Re-engineered business mix, growing Crossbody +27% YoY (+$21M) and delivering category-leading sales gains. Directed assortment planning for the season, creating a collection of 800 SKUS that resonated with evolving consumer preferences. Developed junior team members, resulting in the promotion of two assistant buyers to buyer roles within 18 months.
Associate Buyer at Michael Kors
May 1, 2015 - December 31, 2016Grew online apparel business +$8.7M to $11.6M, driven by product and assortment optimization. Launched a new women’s apparel outerwear program to $4.5M (+180% YoY) through improved design and vendor negotiation. Introduced retail and ecommerce buy strategies and new assortment/financial recap processes for retail division.
Owner at Urban Coast Capital
April 1, 2025 - PresentFounded and manage a real estate investment company, leading asset strategies across acquisitions and portfolio management. Led acquisition of 8 properties totaling $2.25M, executing financial due diligence and asset level strategy to support long term value creation.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing at James Madison University
January 11, 2030 - May 5, 2026Qualifications
Industry Experience
Retail, Real Estate & Construction
Experience Level
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