Mental Garage Sale:  I sell what’s in my head. In case you were wondering where the name came from.

I have two main passions in business – The Orchard Bay Group, named for a place in my hometown where I spent summers with my Granny GG and Imagine More Ventures, LLC, a partnership with my friend Kendra Kinnison.

As CEO of the Orchard Bay Group, I oversee Crossover Consulting, Inc. which helps the retail travel industry with their online business strategy through clean engaging websites, social media integration and training. There are several sites to accomplish this mission including GemTravelSites.com, TravelWebMarketing, WP-TravelThemes and WP-TravelDesign – each project devoted to a specific purpose.

As the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Imagine More Ventures, I handle the technology strategy, integration and execution of the business. That basically means I handle the branding, build the sites, teach the GeekSchool classes and whine that my offices aren’t as nice at Neovia Solutions’ offices. There’s a lot more, but that’s the main part.

I’m  a published author (book and magazine), full-time blogger, social marketing ninja and online marketing consultant for the travel industry.

I’m an International public speaker and panelist – focusing on blogging, social networking, website design and search engine optimization and marketing.

In my previous “corporate” life I was the Director of Technology and Training for a number of Carlson Travel locations, the Training Manager for Campbell Travel, the Lead Agent for the PepsiCo/Frito Lay Account at Maritz Travel, and started on the hotel desk at Ask Mr. Foster Travel in 1988. I also owned Padre Island Travel and Dragonfly Travel, which specialized in vacations and cruises.

HEY! If you’ve read this far, then you deserve some trivia:

• I drink a lot of good coffee and I’m the Mayor of Coffee Waves in Port Aransas on Foursquare.
• I watch as much PAC-10 volleyball as my cable plan will serve up, and I love the Stanford Cardinals.
• My husband Ken is the Youth Director at Community Presbyterian Church, so I get dragged to lock-ins and camps a lot as the token girl chaperone. I am NOT a fan of bunk beds or communal bathrooms at these events.
• He also plays in a band called Highway 361 and I am his personal groupie.
• We have two daughters that play in a band called “The Core” with their Dad.
• Yes, I read the Twilight book series. In a weekend. All four. Seriously.
• I live on a tropical island, which is pretty awesome, except for Spring Break when it is not. I’m lobbying for a “locals-only” card guaranteeing a fast pass on the ferry.
• My favorite blog is Bruce Reyes Chow, the extremely distinguished moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
• I start (almost) every day with NPR’s Morning Edition
• I have been accused of being sarcastic. Seriously? Me?

End of trivia. See you around the virtual world.