Jake Szeligowski

“Are you able to show up, be yourself, and tell the truth no matter what? Are you able to create a space where other people feel welcomed to share their truth?” 

Although non-traditional the quote from author and activist Janet Mock feels like a great way to introduce myself in a world that feels less traditional everyday; especially as I look to work with individuals and spaces that create authenticity. 

I have a diverse cultural and experiential background, growing up in the Midwest I attended college at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point  where I studied Fine Art and Communication. At the same time I worked in the Tutor and Learning Center and developed customer service experience and skills at the Hostel Shoppe, a speciality bike store that largely worked with individuals with disabilities. 

I moved to New York City to attend grad school at Pratt Institute. New York and Pratt provided great jumping points of collaboration and communication - building valuable skills in writing and team building. I interned at Surface Magazine as an editorial intern writing creative digital stories about art and design. Most recently in New York I worked at MSD Capital, a private equity firm. I began as a facilities assistant managing vendors, supplies and a monthly budget for the New York and Florida offices. As my experiences and interests transitioned I moved into an executive assistant role supporting the financial team. With my background largely in art, communication, and sales this provided an invaluable experience to me developing new ways of thinking, writing, and working out of my comfort zone. I managed accounts, the office environments, and calendars of myself and other executives in the firm. 

Originally in attending grad school my goal was to work in high education. As my experiences have diversified I’ve realized I’m most interested in helping to create and facilitate happy and successful work environments. I’ve had the opportunity to live, learn, and work in many different spaces. As I've worked to learn about my truth I’ve gained knowledge in how to share those tools with others.