“A lot of what we do is cultural anthropology for the business world – we really stop and listen to what people are telling us, not what we think they ought to be saying.”

Every part of Brie’s career – ethnographic research, teaching university, political communications, and archives – has revolved around the same axis: digging deep to understand people and tell their stories.

And that’s what she does for Ampersand today – turning raw data into useful insights that help clients make their best hires. “Everyone is so much more than their resume. The Ampersand process really takes clients behind the curtain – giving them access to the person, not just their work experience.”
Trained in both communications and archives, Brie delves deep into Ampersand’s proprietary research data, pulling out the gems that point to a candidate’s strengths and risks in a role.

And all that digging comes naturally, as she’s also an Extension Master Gardener. When she’s not helping clients grow their talent base, you can usually find this “tomato enthusiast” in her garden. “It’s too many tomatoes,” she says. “Every year, I swear I’m going to cut back, but… alas.”