🔥 Ignite Seattle 52 || “I’m 38. I Wear Light-Up Shoes”

What do light-up shoes have to do with aviaiton? More than you might think.

I had the opportunity to take the stage at Ignite Seattle as one of 12 speakers, sharing a five-minute story with an audience of over 800 people.

My talk, “I’m 38. I Wear Light-Up Shoes,” explored an unexpected lesson from my military career: sometimes, the things that help us navigate high-stakes environments aren't about being more serious. They're about remembering how to PLAY.

From serving as a KC-135 combat air-refueling pilot to finding small moments of joy in demanding environments, I learned that play isn't a distraction from serious work. It can be part of what helps us get through it.

Somewhere along the way, many of us learn to leave play behind as we grow up. We prioritize performance, productivity, and responsibility and forget the part of ourselves that finds joy in the little things.

But what if play isn't the opposite of being a high-performer? What if it's part of what helps us become better leaders, teammates, and humans?

That's the message I brought to the Ignite Seattle stage: making room for play can help us reconnect with ourselves and others, strengthen resilience, and discover new possibilities.

And yes, at 38, I still wear light-up shoes (;

Because play is HUMAN NATURE.

Thank you, Ignite Seattle, for the opportunity to share this story and to everyone who made the night unforgettable.

#IgniteSeattle #DontRationPassion