To my DNIS Family,

Shoes have always brought a smile to my face for as long as I could remember, and my experience allows me to sit in an unique seat, straddling the worlds of technology and fashion. Standing 5’3”, I have always been a heels enthusiast, and heels have followed me through all stages of life – from college dances to working on Wall Street to pageantry and modeling. 

In 2019, my all-male investment banking team was late to a client meeting, and I found myself attempting to sprint through underground tunnels in my stilettos, physically trailing behind my team due to my required professional footwear. This inconvenience was in addition to the multiple shoe changes I had throughout the day, as I stashed flats for Ubers back home, lower walkable heels for working in the office, etc. This is not a unique story for many women, who find fashion clashing with the needs of convenience, efficiency and comfort. 

Hoping to find a product in the market to solve this problem, I was shocked to find that such a product did not exist, and while working in private equity, I also began reaching out to design and engineering firms with my electronically adjustable heel idea. However, I was told over and over this idea was “impossible”. Still, undeterred, in 2021 I resigned from private equity to go live in Florence, Italy where I learned how to make heels by hand with a master cordwainer who practiced the techniques handed down from Florentine artisans centuries ago. I developed relationships with luxury shoe manufacturers and leather specialists. 

In 2022, my brother Gordon joined me and we acquired a patent for our design. In 2023, while I was a pageant titleholder for Texas, I worked with an engineer from Egypt to fine tune the first prototype. And now in 2024, I ask you to join us in launching this revolutionary product for the world.