About me

I believe that “poetic intelligence” is a leadership superpower. I know firsthand that during times of significant transformation, poetry and the science of storytelling can spark the uniquely human capacity for contemplation, curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Why? Before officially adding “poet” to my resume, I spent 30 years in the corporate world. I have inhabited organizations from early-stage start-ups to large corporations, in industries as diverse as Wall Street, women’s health, employee benefits, and strategic consulting. Throughout my career, I have held roles ranging from sales rep to strategic investor, consultant, board member, product leader, and CEO.

From experience leading teams and organizations, I know that people who practice and hone “poetic” skills are more valuable than ever to organizations facing opportunities and threats in today’s increasingly digital, diverse, and dynamic markets. 

From my early studies of comparative religion and anthropology, I have been fascinated with the “what and why” of shared belief systems. And while dreams of an MFA and writing career morphed into an MBA in finance and strategy, I have come to appreciate the intersection of these skills and interests as a superpower. 

As the Founding Corporate Poet Laureate of workLIT, my writing attempts to shed a creative light on the emotions and ideas of the modern workplace. Since most of us will spend 90,000 hours of our waking lives working, I know it’s sometimes hard to separate living from working. With my own poems, I offer a poetic window into the humor, irony, and often underlying pain of day-to-day corporate life.

P.S. I also spend time helping a wonderful organization, Mass Poetry, in its mission to use poetry to catalyze understanding and connection.

Thanks for stopping by workLIT. Drop me a line at Heather@worklit.net or find me on LinkedIn if you want to connect.