I was born in Elmhurst, Illinois and raised in Seattle, Washington, and received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting in 1990, where I was recognized as one of only 11 Accounting Scholars. I earned my master’s degree (1994) in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

At Match.com, an online dating service with more than 20 million members, I served as CEO from August 2004 to June 2007. I was responsible for targeted marketing to key online dating subgroups, specifically baby boomers. This approach accelerated both the brand’s market penetration and its share success. My insight into differing cultural norms and their ultimate effect on what individuals expect from a relationship caused international expansion of Match.com, where the company achieved local dominance through marketing, advertising and product strategies.