My Story 

Max's new way to answer the perennial question:

"Tell me about yourself"​ (last update, 2017) 

In a few words, I am:

My philosophy:

That the study of any one thing can inform the study of everything else.

Eclectic

Empathetic

Curious

(I find everything interesting)

 

 

(from a multi-functional career)

 

(and this one drives the other two)

I've rotated across 7 teams in product, marketing and people. Currently I focus on People Analytics at BuzzFeed. I write stories and perform music as a freelancer, too.

Proud moments of impact:

  1. I helped push two terms ("millennials" and "binge watching") into the pop culture zeitgeist with my writing (articles and content marketing)
  2. I co-led a diversity-based employee resource group, bringing people together with a common interest, and earning 'lead of the year' for the US
  3. My work in music research was selected for Cannes Lions 2015 and headlined EDMBiz
  4. I earned 7 merit awards over two years at my company for above-and-beyond contributions
  5. Launching PASSNYC, a project aimed at improving the love of my life (New York), with my friends from Hunter High School and earning partnerships with the City itself

Fun facts about me:

  1. I was a member of Earth, Wind & Fire for a day.

  2. I appeared in two teen girl magazines (Cosmo Girl and Seventeen)

  3. I broke BuzzFeed's record for a community contributor (3 years before joining the team)

  4. My band, Ladies and Gentlemen, loves to gig around NYC (our genre is "Destiny's Child")

  5. I was almost killed by a dolphin (once).

I grew up here in New York,

and the city is my favorite subject of conversation.

 

I went to Hunter College High School, which is important later on (and people like to ask about my English teacher, Lin-Manuel Miranda).

'90-'08

I went on to Northwestern

to study Econ and Marketing (a new love after downloading photoshop and running a successful student government campaign for an underdog).

 

But one fateful day...

'08

A homework assignment

on happiness and mindfulness in psychology (in the form of TED talks) was so impactful that I changed my primary major to Psychology.

 

I would later cold email that influential speaker, Dr. Dan Gilbert, and work for him at Harvard University.

'09

Nielsen recruited me

Straight out of school for the Emerging Leaders Rotational Program in their Media Business.

 

It would be a great opportunity to approach my top passion, entertainment and media, from a cerebral, research-heavy point of view.

'12

My rotations (18 months) were:

  • Disney Client Service, where I taught myself to code in Excel and won Nielsen's highest merit honor (from the CEO) for process improvement.
  • Global Product Marketing for a Facebook joint venture, where I enabled a launch in 6 countries and became the 2nd ELA to ever travel internationally for work. 
  • Pilot Research, where I established Nielsen's first-ever TV Community Research Panel.
  • Telecom Product Team, where I again helped lead an international project. The team liked my final presentation so much, they asked me to rejoin the following year.

'12-'14

I graduated into the Music and Survey Research teams

as a dual resource. We turned Electronic Dance Music into a science through survey and measured products I helped to develop (and raise sales by 10x).

My work was used to keynote the EDMBiz conference and the Cannes Lions Marketing Festival!

'14

Then, Telecom

came with a request for me to rejoin the product team.

My top achievement there was taking a product from a new idea to >$1 million in new business in 5 months.

'15

...that or writing product marketing materials based on Drake's "Hotline Bling".

But my favorite part of Nielsen...

was treating it like a University and creating additional opportunities in

 

recruiting, diversity, and mentorship.

In addition to my core role:

  1. I was Recruiting Champion for NYU, creating campus programming 2-5 times a month

  2. Named recruiter of the year for creating talent marketing initiatives like Excel course “Page Down for What?” for NYU Stern students

  3. Won “Lead of the Year” for Asian-American Diversity Group. Helped earn Nielsen’s spot in Diversity Inc.’s Top 50 Companies list (2015)

  4. I was invited to “upward” mentor EVP of Global Learning, serve company of 40,000 as expert in simplifying digital fluency tips and Excel

'12-'16

My biggest achievement, Nielsen TOPTEN

I co-founded and served as editor-in-chief for Nielsen's first ever consumer-facing content blog. Our work was seen over 5MM times, translated worldwide, syndicated by MSN, and licensed for use in college textbooks.

'13-'16

It was product marketing that really took on a life of its own. 

2016: Expanded Horizons

In 2016, I left Nielsen to work for startups in the "people" space and consult independently. 

I product managed at HR Tech company WayUp, encouraging businesses to build diverse talent pipelines by optimizing talent search and analytics tools.

I took time to focus on my own volunteer initiative, PASSNYC: a team of Hunter friends functioning as a not-for-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to broadening educational opportunities for New York City's talented underserved students.

'16

And now...BuzzFeed!

In January 2017 I began working in People Analytics at BuzzFeed, building on my work in happiness @ Harvard, my HR Analytics foundation at Nielsen, and everything else in between.

 

Check back in with me soon!

'17

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