Hi, I’m Amy.

I’ve been in the liminal zone (the space between an ending and a new beginning) more times than I can count. I was an executive at a design firm called IDEO and moved all around the world (I’ve lived in Lausanne, London, Melbourne, Singapore, San Francisco, to name but a few cities I’ve called home). I started my career as an engineer, got an MBA, spent a long time as a designer and leader (most recently sitting on the executive team at Old Navy), and now I’m running a this startup. All told, I’ve moved over 20 times, lived in 6 countries across four continents, and pivoted my career multiple times. Not to mention the even more personal liminal zones as relationships have ended.

Professionally, my work has been about supporting people in the in-between: as a designer, I’ve helped many, many companies get unstuck and grow, all while embracing the ambiguity of change. And as a mindfulness leader, I’m adept at holding space for people to recenter themselves.

You’d think I’d be an old pro at navigating the in-between, and in many ways I am. But equally, I’ve often found myself stuck, not sure what step to take next, and it’s always felt hard. Each move and each job change felt like an opportunity and a challenge.

Then, during the pandemic, like many people, I was asking myself the biggest question yet: where did I want to live when I could live anywhere? My work was online and I had the ability live in multiple countries. My choices were seemingly endless. But, I didn’t want another painful process. I was convinced there was a better way.

So using my expertise in design and mindfulness, I crafted one!

My process took what historically would have been an overwhelming and paralyzing decision and made it fun and delightful. When my friends asked me to help them, too, I launched a prototype program. They loved it so much I decided to offer it to others.

Now, I’m a liminal zone guide, supporting people in the in-between, in thriving there, in getting unstuck, for instance in making hard decisions like this one, or in achieving desires they’ve put on hold. All in the spirit of flourishing in life’s transitions. All in a way that’s easier and more joyful.

In The Art of Getting Unstuck, The Liminal Zone, and other programs, I draw on all I’ve learned over my life and career to help you thrive:

• how to design delightful experiences (building on my IDEO years)

• what mindfulness practice teaches us about navigating liminality (I was trained by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach)

• how somatic experiencing (the practice of listening to and supporting the body) can ground us

• neuroscience and what we know about mind-body connection

• how to date well (yes, I promise it fits!)

• and what it feels like to make big moves (of all kinds, geographical, career, and relationship).

Before launching Collective:

I was an executive at IDEO, where I spent a decade leading the creation of new businesses for companies across Europe, Australia, Asia and the US, in a practice I built called venture design. Additionally, I was the client relationship lead for companies like Google/Alphabet and John Deere. And as the executive leading new ventures and innovation at Old Navy, I co-led the creation of a multi-million dollar new business focused on body equity.

I’ve been published multiple times in Harvard Business Review (this is the latest) as well as in Entrepreneur. I’ve spoken at SXSW. I co-lead a popular IDEOU course on Designing a Business.

My own (most recent) stuck moment:

After the pandemic, the trajectory I’d begun beforehand didn’t feel right. I wanted to be closer to family (physically and spiritually) and to own my own schedule. Using my own process, I crafted a life where I split my time between Maine and Florida (one near family, and one by the beach). And I built my own business. Ask me about all the experiments I undertook to gain confidence in that decision or about life in a snowbird paradise, complete with pickleball… and bingo!

Which led to my most recent liminal moment:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I’ve lost my home in Florida. So, as of September 27, 2024, I’m very much in the in-between.