Tessa is a strategist in Seattle, an enduring optimist who believes in the power of words and design to build a better, more sustainable, future.
With over 15-years experience across the public and private sectors developing strategy, guiding innovation, leading interdisciplinary teams, imagining and activating brands and campaigns, engaging in stakeholder alignment and caring a lot about food, but particularly about bagels.
MBA in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School (2013)
BA from Oberlin College in Art History and Gender Studies (2005)
Several sustainability-related certificates along the way
Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 52 locations across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Founded in 1965, the firm serves more than 3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Guided by determined optimism, we believe the power of design can spark positive change and create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and wellbeing for everyone.
Scope, lead and execute all aspects of strategy work ranging from generative research to quantitative and qualitative research studies to bespoke learning sessions. Serve as primary point of contact for client, leadership and team. Manage staffing, team, productivity, workflows, and process.
Leading the coordination and administration of a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, designers, strategists, and stakeholders in a way that leads to transformative ideas and preferred futures.
Leading the synthesis of multiple work streams into a coherent and powerful narrative about the future.
Lead development of net-new strategy and consulting service offerings, defining the business proposition, clients and content.
Artefact is a product design and innovation consultancy. Our mission is to empower progressive organizations to create a more equitable and sustainable world through the power of outcome-focused thinking and human- centered design. As the Senior Account Director at Artefact, I built the practice from the ground up;
Lead organizational development and integration of account strategy as a new practice area, develop systems and structures to build discipline. Grew the practice to include second and third account strategist hires within 18 months.
Develop and lead business strategy for clients around emerging technology, social impact, and positive outcomes for their work.
Collaborate with executive creative leadership to lead strategy and development of points of view, process and building the client relationship into a trusted partnership.
Lead C-suite communications
Lead internal Sustainability Impact Area work, including framework development, education and connection to clients and business
Mentor and coach across disciplines
When DK merged with Methodologie, I created and launched the Social Impact practice area dedicated to building and activating social-purpose brands.
Act as lead account director for the full account practice across three offices, help develop account charter, processes and metrics.
Run account and strategy development on $2M+ annual revenue, and provide additional strategy support to internal and external initiatives as needed.
Lead consulting programs focused on materiality assessments, GRI and CDP reporting, and translating key metrics into compelling branded experiences for multiple stakeholder groups.
Own new business development in the social-purpose practice area, including account growth of existing projects as well as RFPs, pitches, presentations and discussions with potential clients.
egg
The Matale Line
Worldchanging
2006–2013
Worldchanging was an award-winning, TED-prize winning online journal writing about solutions for a sustainable future. I helped edit our NYTimes best-selling book, organized our national book tour, and supported the organization across finance, marketing and strategy.
The Matale Line is a social purpose change agency, working exclusively with nonprofits and international NGO’s; I spent 7 years leading client engagements.
egg is a creative brand development & communications firm working with sustainable products and organizations, with a focus on food systems.
Artefact is a product design and innovation consultancy. Our mission is to empower progressive organizations to create a more equitable and sustainable world through the power of outcome-focused thinking and human- centered design. As the Senior Account Director at Artefact, I built the practice from the ground up;
Lead organizational development and integration of account strategy as a new practice area, develop systems and structures to build discipline. Grew the practice to include second and third account strategist hires within 18 months.
Develop and lead business strategy for clients around emerging technology, social impact, and positive outcomes for their work.
Collaborate with executive creative leadership to lead strategy and development of points of view, process and building the client relationship into a trusted partnership.
Lead C-suite communications
Lead internal Sustainability Impact Area work, including framework development, education and connection to clients and business
Mentor and coach across disciplines
When DK merged with Methodologie, I created and launched the Social Impact practice area dedicated to building and activating social-purpose brands.
Act as lead account director for the full account practice across three offices, help develop account charter, processes and metrics.
Run account and strategy development on $2M+ annual revenue, and provide additional strategy support to internal and external initiatives as needed.
Lead consulting programs focused on materiality assessments, GRI and CDP reporting, and translating key metrics into compelling branded experiences for multiple stakeholder groups.
Own new business development in the social-purpose practice area, including account growth of existing projects as well as RFPs, pitches, presentations and discussions with potential clients.
egg
The Matale Line
Worldchanging
2006–2013
Worldchanging was an award-winning, TED-prize winning online journal writing about solutions for a sustainable future. I helped edit our NYTimes best-selling book, organized our national book tour, and supported the organization across finance, marketing and strategy.
The Matale Line is a social purpose change agency, working exclusively with nonprofits and international NGO’s; I spent 7 years leading client engagements.
egg is a creative brand development & communications firm working with sustainable products and organizations.
A few organizations I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Nice things people have said about me.
“Tessa is calm, smart, charming and a pleasure to work with. She is inspiring and refreshing as a manager because she really cares.
She is a true leader, has an effortless management style and has a smile that will light up a room!”
“Tessa is one of the most outstanding Communications experts I have ever worked with. She is a force, always fueling the team with insights and enthusiasm and a trusted partner for clients, creatives and strategists alike.
Her expertise in the Sustainability Communications space is built on in-depth knowledge and a passion to do good while doing great work.
Tessa is generous with her advise and experience, a fantastic mentor to learn from. Never failing to deliver what our clients needed and much more, she always made sure that the creative output was stellar and the work rewarding for all stakeholders involved.”
“Tessa’s profound expertise in brand and corporate communications —especially around corporate social responsibility and sustainability — serves her clients well, of course, but her colleagues also benefit because she shares her knowledge so generously as a mentor. Topping it off is Tessa's easy-going charm, an unwaveringly positive outlook, and a heartfelt passion to improve our world.”
Selected speaking engagements
AIGA Changemakers – Kickoff Workshop Weekend – Building and Sustaining Successful Teams
Portland Design Festival – Not Not Creative
Seattle Design Festival – Using Innovation to Build a Risk-Tolerant World
Net Impact– Using CSR Reporting to Drive Brand Engagement
Designed to Lead – Creating the Digital World
