I've been telling stories and starting businesses since I was a tiny tot.
Age 4: Narrated family road trips into a cassette player.
Age 7: Wrote my first short story, followed by a series of chapter books my teachers read to the class at story time.
Age 8: Set up a record stand in front of our house and sold Cheap Trick 45s to the neighbors.
Age 12: Became the youngest person to place in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. My story and photo made the front page of the local paper and it seemed I was onto something with this writing thing.
Age 25: Started my communications career working with late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Age 27: Joined Microsoft, which led to 25 years with the company as both an employee and consultant. Early in my tenure, I created the HR communications function and pioneered human-centered, data-driven storytelling to drive employee engagement.
Age 32: Left Microsoft to follow my entrepreneurial spirit. I continued to work with Microsoft as a consultant in addition to advising clients like Pfizer, WebMD, and American Express.
Age 44: Returned to Microsoft to expand into digital storytelling. Over the next four years, I hosted the Modern Communications series, produced and co-hosted the Managers 1:1 podcast, and was one of three employees hand-selected to moderate the monthly Employee Town Hall with Chairman & CEO Satya Nadella and the senior leadership team.
Age 49: Returned to entrepreneurship and founded Tulla Productions. I continue to advise senior tech leaders on communication strategy and messaging, namely around pivotal issues like trust, security, and equity.
Age 50: Began sharing my story of surviving complex trauma after three years of life-altering events, including a yearlong battle with ocular cancer, a major relocation, ending a decade-long abusive relationship, and divorce—all during a global pandemic. On a mission to help others heal and reclaim their purpose, I launched my award-winning podcast, "Here For Me," which explores the power of choosing ourselves.
Age 52: Shared my story of finding light on the other side of darkness in my first TED talk, “Transmuting Trauma to Reclaim Your Purpose.”
Born in Milwaukee🍺 and raised in the Pacific Northwest 🌲—with chapters in New York 🗽, Montreal ❄️, San Diego 🏖️, and Los Angeles 🎥—I’ve returned to my roots and live in Seattle 🏔️.
