Meaning Behind the Name
People often ask why I chose the name Mitten Collective.
The answer is about a place and a philosophy.
Michigan’s Lower Peninsula is commonly referred to as “the mitten.” It’s how many of us here describe where we live — by holding up a hand and pointing to a spot on the palm. The image is informal, but it carries something deeper: identity, grounding, and connection to a region shaped by industry, reinvention, and resilience.
I chose “Mitten” as an homage to Michigan — not only as geography, but as ethos. Michigan understands grit and transition. We understand economic shifts, technological change, and the necessity of adaptation. That spirit informs how I think about systems, institutions, and the evolution of financial and regulatory frameworks.
“Collective” reflects the second half of the philosophy.
The work I focus on — illicit finance, financial innovation, emerging technologies, institutional resilience — does not yield to a singular perspective. These challenges are structural. They are cross-border. They are interdisciplinary. Durable progress requires collaboration across sectors: finance, technology, policy, academia, compliance, and investigation.
I believe collective thinking is more powerful than individual insight. That is why I host roundtables and podcast conversations — to exchange ideas, be challenged, gain perspective, and think more clearly in the company of others.
Mitten Collective serves as a professional portfolio — a place to document research, writing, speaking engagements, and convenings. It is also an anchor point for idea cultivation: a space where threads are drawn together, throughlines are examined, and emerging risks are evaluated within broader historical and structural context.
The name reflects grounding and convergence — a commitment to place, perspective, and progress.
Rooted in Michigan. Oriented toward systems-level change. Built on the belief that active collaboration, analytical rigor, and thoughtful inquiry can move the needle in complex environments.
Grounded in place.
Inspired by convergence.
Advancing with clarity and perspective.