About
Passionate and results-driven Category Management and Consumer Insights leader with 14+ years of experience. Expert in translating consumer and shopper insights into actionable commercial strategies that strengthen retailer partnerships and accelerate category performance. Known for building high-performing teams and fostering collaboration through curiosity, clarity, and empathy.
Experience
Senior Director of Category + Consumer Insights
Vita Coco · New York City Metropolitan Area
Present
- Lead category strategy development and deployment to retailers across channels; both category and brand sales have doubled since establishing Category Management as a dedicated function at Vita Coco - Responsible for driving category elevation at retail, securing a Coconut Water destination set in a large format retailer and expanded presence in a leading C-Store chain to reverse overall Juice door declines - Partner with Sales Leadership Team counterparts to craft channel strategies and develop joint growth plans with retailers - Influence Marketing team’s insights-driven approach to growth, educating the team on consumer behavior, redefining growth targets, introducing new measurement framework, and shifting messaging strategy from occasions-based to benefit-based - Key contributor in development of consumer growth model and innovation pipeline to guide Vita Coco's continued growth - Manage data and insights budget; prospect and vet new data sources and research partners to maintai…
Director of Category Management
Vita Coco · Greater New York City Area
- Established Category Management as a dedicated function at Vita Coco; grew the team from one to five people in two years, with responsibilities covering Category Management + Shopper Insights for all portfolio brands/categories in the U.S. + Canada - Key retailer wins include securing new distribution at Dollar General + Casey's + Food Lion and significantly expanding distribution in Walgreens + Walmart + Publix; brand growth has driven the Coconut Water category to reach its highest sales weeks in the past 5 years - Expanded storytelling beyond the Coconut Water category to include the broader Beverage space, leading to more strategic retailer + distributor relationships and enhanced business management capabilities across the organization - Partner closely with cross-functional counterparts (including Sales, Marketing, Innovation, Revenue Management, and senior leadership) on brand plans, channel strategies, innovation launches, and corporate projects
Category Strategy & Insights Manager - Publix + Southeastern Grocers
Danone North America · Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area
- Craft compelling sales stories utilizing scanning, panel, and custom data sources to gain acceptance of new Danone items and return declines to growth; +4 Coffee Whiteners, +5 Ready to Drink Coffee, and +5 Plant-Based items in 2019 - Secured Yogurt Category Captaincy, including the opportunity to write/review POGs and implement an “Emerging Yogurt Destination”; gained distribution of 8 Danone items, expanded top performers, and recommended improvements for total category assortment - Sold in one incremental seasonal creamer and 2 weeks of early ship vs prior year per season for both 2018 and 2019 holiday seasons - Reformed internal IRI sales reporting by surveying team needs, developing new reports, and leading a series of trainings - Identified the need for and created the first internship program within the South Sales division; also manage one Associate Manager - Interim Category team lead for 6 months maternity leave coverage
Category Strategy & Insights Manager - Southeastern Grocers, Supervalu East, and Deca
Danone · Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area
- Managed cross-category analytics and strengthened key customer relationships with Southeastern Grocers, DeCa, SuperValu, and Fresh Market during Danone's acquisition of White Wave; also supported the Harris Teeter business - Presented insights and strategy regarding the future of the Dairy aisle during top-to-top and joint business planning meetings, leading to an incremental reset to implement recommended brand/aisle flow and assortment changes; Danone +6 items and category closed the growth rate gap to ROM - Onboarded and managed 1 direct report and 2 broker partners
Category Manager - Csd and Beverage Insights
Dr Pepper Snapple Group · Cincinnati Area
- Managed the shelf for DPSG’s Carbonated Soft Drinks portfolio in 2,400+ Kroger grocery and convenience stores nationwide - Partnered with Kroger, 84.51, and other beverage manufacturers to develop and implement innovative in-store beverage concepts based on custom consumer research findings - Influenced Kroger buyers to introduce new DPSG items and increase distribution on shelf through compelling sales stories; secured 200+ points of distribution in a shrinking category in October 2016 - Collaborated with key stakeholders across functions and levels within DPSG to align on business objectives; support Sales counterparts with compelling analyses, partner with Shopper Marketing in brief writing and event sell-in, and assist VP/Team Lead with insights and presentations for top-to-top meetings with Kroger - Managed project work and professional development for two analysts
Category Manager - Warehouse Direct
Dr Pepper Snapple Group · Cincinnati Area
- Managed the shelf for DPSG’s $100 million Warehouse Direct portfolio in Kroger and Harris Teeter stores - Presented a Cut Fruit/Applesauce purchase decision study that influenced the Kroger buyer to redesign the aisle and implement a more shopper-friendly layout - Recommended assortment changes for the Specialty CSD shelf that resulted in a 6% $ sales gain on IBC - Created a Dr Pepper sales story for Kroger Director of DSD Beverages that resulted in the development of custom in-store College Football activities and grew Dr Pepper market share in Kroger by 2.7 points
Associate Manager - Client Service
Nielsen · Cincinnati Area / Mexico City Area, Mexico
- Delivered strategic insights and recommendations to help grow the P&G Personal Health Care business and address questions regarding competitive landscape, buyer profile, and shelving/assortment - Advised the P&G Fem Care and Adult Incontinence categories on a recent launch by identifying sourcing and trial/repeat trends to ensure that year 1 goals were achieved - Led a team of 12 international analysts in analytically challenging project work across P&G categories and acted as the liaison between the onshore and offshore teams - Chosen by leadership to represent Nielsen North America on a special assignment in Mexico City for four months where I managed the client relationship for four P&G Mexico categories and developed subject matter expertise in the Mexican market and Hispanic consumers
Analyst - Client Service
- Partnered with the P&G Hair Care and Color teams as a trusted advisor providing key business solutions to contacts across team functions (sales, marketing, finance, consumer insights, research) - Developed strategies for Walmart, Target, Food, Drug, and Dollar retailers that have resulted in a 2 $ share point gain for a Hair Color brand, increased distribution, and the sell-in of two line extensions - Assessed opportunities for portfolio optimization by crafting sell-in analyses that have resulted in a Hair Color brand being sold-in to 3,000 Dollar General stores - Created size of prize figures for the impact of new and aging consumers on the Hair Color category, the results of which have directly altered P&G’s future innovation and messaging strategies
Senior Analyst - Analytic Consulting
- Independently headed the FY 12/13 US P&G Hair Color marketing mix and pricing and promotions work - Modeled media and volume sales data to inform key insights and recommendations for growth drivers and future marketing plans that were implemented by the brand team; total of a $30 million NOS opportunity - Managed data collection and acted as the single point of contact for clients and third party agencies - Led the training and professional development of a new analyst
Project Analyst - Analytic Consulting
- Led analytics for the FY 11/12 US P&G Facial Tissue marketing mix project and provided recommendations for optimal allocation of media spend and execution - Constructed and validated linear regression models using SPSS to evaluate the impact of traditional media and trade activities on volume sales - Presented meta learnings in Toronto on the P&G Canada cross-category couponing program - Analyzed the effectiveness and efficiency of P&G’s global digital strategy for the Beauty & Grooming business unit and provided recommendations for marketing optimization
Education
Indiana University Bloomington
Bachelor's degree, Sociology
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