mike shoemaker

I'm a huge nerd.

I've always been a bit high-strung and easily distracted. Even as I've slowed down in old age, I've maintained the same constant fidgeting and limited attention span that I've always had. The good news is that I've been able to find positive outlets for my nervous energy. One way I've managed it is by dabbling in a little bit of everything.

I was a hardcore music and theater geek in high school, and studied music for a year in college before becoming mildly obsessed with international study and the field of sociology. From there, I started to take an interest in mediation and conflict resolution, and even worked with a mediation center for a time after finishing school.

That was before spending a year in Colombia, where I started to explore the link between economic development and social and cultural norms, and their implications for building peace in war-torn areas.

During that year, I also came to realize that life inside a non-profit isn't all it that it's cracked up to be, and that most such organizations could use a healthy dose of business know-how. As a result, my interest in organizational effectiveness took hold and somewhere along the way I ended up working with a company that specializes in leadership and talent management consulting.

I'm still there, but now instead of telling experienced managers what they need to do to improve, I'm trying to help my company navigate the world of HR technology.

So my life has clearly been one long and wandering journey, but I like where it has taken me so far. I look forward to seeing where it will lead me next.