I direct the overall strategy and consider the future. My primary day-to-day job is to grow awareness for our community and be the face of the brand.

My parents started the M&A firm Kaulkin Ginsberg in the 1980’s (Marvin Kaulkin was my stepfather; my mom also worked in the business, running the broker-dealer and managing the office). 

After spending the first decade of my career in California, I was in both career and personal transition. I moved back to the east coast (Washington, DC) to be closer to family, and wanted to work at a small firm where I could make a big impact. It was 2000. I knew nothing about M&A, but I had a deep background in operations and I had just come from working for an Internet start up, while Kaulkin Ginsberg had just launched a newsletter and website (then called CollectionIndustry.com, though we eventually re-named it insideARM). 

So, my skills were a good match for the company at that time, Mike Ginsberg and I got along well, and it seemed like a good move. I officially joined the company in April 2001.

Well, it’s obviously AI. In more than 20 years in the industry, I’ve seen lots of trends, but none with the potential to transform the business (and every business) as quickly as artificial intelligence. I started to see AI emerge meaningfully in 2017 when I launched the insideARM Innovation Council. Several leading-edge tech companies came on the scene then and tried to break into the industry.

Progress was painfully slow for them, as the ability for the industry to understand and adopt the technology was limited. Most of the companies either closed or got acquired by larger firms that understood the future value and had deeper pockets that allowed them to wait for the industry to catch up.

Everyone was talking then about true personalization and self-service for consumers. Only a few could even approach it. Today, progress is moving in leaps and bounds month by month.

Like most who have worked in receivables, I’d love to see less friction between the industry, regulators, and consumers. This won’t surprise you… I would also like to see more women stepping into senior leadership roles, bringing diverse perspectives and driving innovation. The receivables customer base is incredibly diverse and heavily female. It’s a no-brainer that women should be sitting at the table shaping the industry alongside men.

I think the biggest challenge today has been the biggest challenge for over a decade; regulatory uncertainty. The winds shift with changing administrations, and the primary focus seems to whiplash from the states to federal and back again. Relationships with regulators will always be very important to maintain; although I see that the efficacy of those relationships also ebb and flow.

I’m passionate about providing the space for women to discover that 1) they are not alone in their doubts and challenges, and 2) they have the confidence to take their seat at the table, use their voice, and contribute to business growth. Our hallmark is an uncompromising focus on purposeful experiences that create meaningful bonds. Getting to make this my full time focus is a privilege.

Oh, and most importantly, my favorite part is working with Lisa Rozzelle, Emily Malone and Kylie Brown. These ladies are a joy to collaborate with and they are all pros at what they do. I couldn’t ask for a better, drama-free (in the best way possible) team!

Build your network. Inside your company and outside your company.

“If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” – Unknown

This quote is a powerful motivator, and, to be honest, I find it both inspiring and a bit daunting. As an introvert, pushing past my comfort zone requires extra effort. But I firmly believe that the most significant growth comes from those challenging experiences. I’ve also learned that overcoming challenges is easier and more rewarding when you have a strong network. It’s about building connections, sharing experiences, and supporting each other’s journeys.

Be open to change and new opportunities that may come from unexpected places. Life (and business) rarely unfolds exactly as you plan or expect. There are too many variables: other people, the economy, technology, etc. If you can develop the ability to put things into a larger context and see where and how pieces fit together, you’ll always be positioned to create success.

One of my biggest accomplishments, hands-down, was the launch of the Consumer Relations Consortium in 2013. This was a multi-year process and required influencing three separate constituencies —

1. the leadership of larger collection agencies,
2. consumer advocacy groups, and
3. regulators; primarily at the CFPB but also elsewhere. And when I set out to do this, virtually nobody knew who I was.

Today I’m less focused on the nuances of debt collection regulation and spend more time

1. learning how to use an ever growing onslaught of AI tools,
2. how to create valuable content for others’ professional development, and
3. building my network in a way that creates awareness and relationships in the broader consumer finance industry. I still have my eye on the news of the industry, and LinkedIn, especially, is my friend these days.

A producer of big Broadway musicals.

Before the pandemic, I worked at an office 5 days a week. I liked it. I enjoyed the separation of work and home, and I liked having a work family. And, like so many, in March of 2020 I came home and never went back (as the owner of the company, I was able to make the decision to not renew our lease when it was up). I’m surprised to say I love it. And so do my employees.

The main reason is that everyone working remotely allows us each to choose the schedule that works best for us personally. For instance, I’m not an early morning person. Since my kids are out of the house, I’m able to wake up without an alarm, read the news, have coffee, and start work around 10 AM. I often get a second wind around 8 or 9 PM and work until 11 or midnight.

Also, I walk 5-7 miles/day. Depending on the time of year, I may need to leave the house by as early as 3 PM to do it while it’s light out. I love having the flexibility to change my schedule day-to-day and not feel that I’m setting the wrong example for the folks on my team. They are definitely not on my internal time clock, and this is totally fine, because we’re not focused on the idea of “face time” in the office.

Organizing: There’s nothing more satisfying and restorative to me than cleaning a closet, a drawer, a garage, etc.

Digital Creativity: I love designing photo books on Shutterfly or creating presentations in Canva (even though I’m not fabulous at it).

Walking/Hiking: I hate exercise but I love to walk and can go for miles and miles if I’m listening to a good book.

Decorating: I’m kind of a homebody. I love watching HGTV, and enhancing my home gives me joy and is really satisfying to me.

Reading: Well… listening. I’ve never been a big reader, but I love listening to memoirs and historical fiction on Audible while I walk.

Yes, I have a 4-year-old Havanese named Macie. About 17 lbs, she’s the most adorable fluffball ever. I’ve never had a dog. Neither my husband nor I grew up with one. No how, no way we wanted a dog. And… we got a dog after finally giving in to my daughter during the pandemic.

We are, of course, now obsessed with her. She has some very odd quirks, including loving to lick the outside of my coffee cup. She’ll do it for 20 minutes if I let her. I assume she loves the smell; the heat, etc. I checked Tik Tok and YouTube to see if this was “a thing” that dogs do but no, it seems to be unique to Macie.

For my first professional job, I was a stage manager on the General Jackson Showboat in Nashville.

I’d like to write a book.