TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT THE WALKING CRADLE COMPANY.
As the Director of Marketing and Creative Development, I get the privilege of developing all materials used for marketing and advertising Walking Cradles shoes. This includes graphic design of all print, web and social media materials; art directing all photo shoots; organizing and managing special events; reaching out and responding to the media; being a guest speaker or writer for publications, events and groups (hello Oprah, I hope you read this!); coordinating with our sales force to partner with our retailers; and building influencer and brand ambassador relationships. In addition, since I was blessed with a size 6M foot, I also get to fit-trial and wear-test every single shoe we make!
TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU ENJOY OUTSIDE OF WORK HOURS.
Being the mother of five children is the most rewarding role in my life. My husband of 14-years and I have a blended family of 4 sons and 1 daughter – ages 26, 25, 24, 22 and 20. When the kids were younger, I worked as a freelance art director from home, which allowed flexibility with my schedule, being able to be involved in their daily lives, sports and activities. Right before our youngest turned 16, I was offered the Creative Director role at Walking Cradles and felt the timing was perfect to go back to working outside the home!
In addition to spending time with my husband and kids, I am an avid amateur cook. This year I started a Facebook group called “The Central Park Supper Club” - named for the street we live on and the garden area on the side of our home, lovingly referred to as “Central Park.” Family, friends and neighbors spend many hours and enjoy many meals in this space, so the Facebook group name was an easy choice! In this group, members post recipes, photos, tips and anything cooking related. This has grown quickly, as it is for everyday cooks looking to bounce ideas off other like-minded foodies!
Gardening, yoga and running are also activities I love. Last year my husband and I missed being able to do a half-marathon (thanks, pandemic), so this year we are looking at which one we want to tackle - we are seriously considering the Rock-N-Roll Half-Marathon in Las Vegas (February 2022) where we could renew our vows in the run-through wedding (at mile 2) in honor of our 15th Anniversary!
TELL US ABOUT ANOTHER WOMAN WHO HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN YOUR LIFE AND WHY.
My mother continues to play an important role in my life and has influenced me in so many ways. She and my father adopted me as an infant and raised my brother and I in the most loving, compassionate home. My parents were neither over-demanding nor overly lenient. We were expected to do our chores, complete our homework, treat people kindly, work hard, play hard and love unconditionally. In 2006, my mom lost her husband of almost 44 years only 6 weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer. She continues to be a loving supportive mother and grandmother and we have all been so proud of her continued zest for life. Her circle of friends is a testament to lasting friendships and I learned through her that “a friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.”
IF YOU COULD GIVE ANY ADVICE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself! Not unlike many young women, I tried so hard to figure out who I was, but instead of looking within and trying to be the best ME I could be, I looked to others to define who that person was supposed to be. Juggling roles of wife, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, friend, employee, co-worker, neighbor, sister, sister-in-law, etc. can be daunting. It's ok to say no now and then. You can't take care of the ones you love unless you take care of yourself first!
BEFORE WORKING AT WALKING CRADLES, DID YOU CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOES FITTING PROPERLY AND COMFORTABLY? IF YES, WHEN AND WHERE DID YOU LEARN THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION. IF NO, TELL US HOW IT HAS CHANGED YOUR THOUGHTS ON FOOTWEAR?
Because of my size 6M foot, I have shoe modeled for many years. Having the fun job of trying on and wearing shoes has always been an absolute blast! This has also offered me the opportunity to realize that not all shoes are created equal. I have worn hideous shoes and I have worn fabulous shoes. But, prior to Walking Cradles, even I didn’t realize just how important it is to wear shoes that fit properly. I’ve had a size 6M foot for as long as I can remember. Shoes are easy for me to find so I always felt that uncomfortable shoes were simply just bad shoes! Turns out, that isn’t the case!
Back when we were able to host Shoe-Stravaganza’s [shoe shopping parties held at the Walking Cradles offices], one of the most rewarding aspects was bearing witness to women realizing just how much better the correct size shoe feels. So often I have encountered someone who was wearing a medium width shoe in a size too big because she didn’t realize different widths were an option. Imagine the reactions when these women finally slip their feet into a shoe that fits in both the length and the width! Both Jamie (our shoe designer) and Terry (our fit specialist) have taught me all the little nuances that make a shoe fit properly - and trust me, while the nuances are little, the differences in how they make a shoe feel on your foot are huge!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WALKING CRADLES SHOE AND WHY?
This is an impossible question to answer. I have SO many favorites because Walking Cradles shoes have every style that I need: dressy, casual, sporty… I’ll list my favorite styles in a few categories!
SPORTY: I’ve been a huge fan of our Metro Collection since it came out several years ago. In fact, I walked a 10K (6.2 miles) in a pair of the sneakers. And while I know these are not performance sneakers, my feet didn’t hurt at all when I was done! Orleans is my go-to style and I’ll admit to owning at least 5 pairs! In about a week, we will be unveiling our new Metro+ sneakers, which will also make the list of my favorites - particularly the Dash, which I have been wear testing now for months and they are like heaven for your feet!
CASUAL: The Whitney black patent penny-loafer is my new favorite! The perfed patent leather and the white sole are so fresh looking. In addition, they are so flexible and lightweight, it seems more like I’m wearing a slipper or sneaker!
SANDALS: The Metro+ Hudson slide sandal is to die for! I wear-tested these for an entire summer and they are, by far, my most favorite sandal ever! I’m thrilled that we now offer them in several colors, I currently love the metallic leopard print and I’m eyeing up the silver for this summer!
HEELS: Every style that Jamie has ever made on our 3” Flexwedge sandal is still in my closet! I am a huge fan of this wedge sandal and I love how she has created so many different silhouettes in different colors and materials! At the moment, I would say the Kendra is my favorite – I love the crochet fabric, it’s so great for being outside in the summer heat and keeping your feet easy, breezy cool!
BOOTIES: The Shine bootie in Black & Bone snake has been my go-to bootie almost year-round. I wear them in the Fall and Winter with jeans or leggings and in the Spring they are fun with dresses and skorts. The 2.5” heel is a great height for me to wear all day and the pointed toe and edgy materials are fun. When wearing these booties, I am constantly stopped by total strangers asking me where I got them!
– Walking Cradles thanks Lisa for her exceptional work she does here and for the example she sets for women everywhere. We hope Lisa and Craig do that run-through-vow renewal in Las Vegas to celebrate their anniversary!
Join us tomorrow, March 11, to meet another fabulous female who makes things happen at Walking Cradles!
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Judy
March 15, 2021
So proud to know and love this fabulous woman. This is a great tribute to Lisa, her life and loves!