Professional Experience

A career spanning culinary publishing, recipe development, editorial strategy, photography, and entrepreneurship.

FOUNDER • CULINARY EDITOR • RECIPE DEVELOPER

This Silly Girl's Kitchen

2012–2026

Built and led an independent culinary media brand from the ground up, developing it into a trusted recipe destination reaching millions of home cooks. Directed the full editorial operation, combining culinary expertise with audience strategy, photography, content development, and digital publishing.

SELECTED IMPACT

• Built This Silly Girl’s Kitchen into a high-traffic culinary publication reaching millions of home cooks through search-driven recipe content.

• Developed, tested, styled, photographed, and published thousands of original recipes and food images across 13+ years.

• Led SEO-driven editorial strategy, using analytics and audience insights to grow traffic, optimize existing content, and guide new content development.

• Authored two traditionally published cookbooks, contributing recipe development, testing, food writing, and editorial copy.

• Managed the complete content lifecycle—from concept and recipe testing through photography, editing, publishing, optimization, and performance analysis.

OWNER • COMMERCIAL FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER

DeVolk Photography LLC

2016–Present

Provide commercial food photography, styling, and visual content development for culinary brands and digital publishers, creating imagery designed for editorial, marketing, and digital use.

SELECTED IMPACT

• Produce commercial food photography from concept through final image, including styling, composition, lighting, shooting, and post-production.

• Develop visual content that supports editorial storytelling, brand identity, digital marketing, and audience engagement.

• Manage client projects independently from creative direction and production through editing and final asset delivery.

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Urban Flats

2010

Led culinary operations in a high-volume restaurant environment, overseeing kitchen execution, menu quality, food preparation, consistency, and day-to-day back-of-house operations.

SELECTED IMPACT

• Led kitchen operations and maintained standards for food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution.

• Managed and trained culinary staff while overseeing workflow, preparation, and service.

• Applied hands-on culinary expertise to menu execution, quality control, and operational problem-solving.

• Built the professional kitchen leadership and culinary foundation that later informed recipe development, food content, and editorial work.

SOUS CHEF

P.F. Chang’s

2004-2010

Advanced from an entry-level kitchen position to Sous Chef, building a strong foundation in professional culinary operations, team leadership, quality control, and high-volume execution.

SELECTED IMPACT

• Progressed through multiple kitchen positions to Sous Chef, taking on increasing responsibility and leadership.

• Helped lead high-volume kitchen operations while maintaining standards for quality, consistency, food safety, and execution.

• Trained and supported culinary team members while coordinating preparation and service.

• Developed the technical discipline, organization, and operational knowledge that became the foundation for later work in recipe development and culinary publishing.