Meet the team

Carolyn McMaster, principal
Sandra Stewart, principal
Nancy Cutler, design consultant
Josh Krist, writer
Reed Kirk Rahlmann, namer & researcher
Kim Saccio-Kent, editor

Carolyn McMaster, principal
Years ago, if you’d asked Carolyn what she’d be doing now, her vision would not have included Thinkshift—she’d have said she’d be an editor at the New York Times or Salon. But now it seems inevitable that she’s a Thinkshift co–founder. Thinkshift makes great use of her mixed–up background of journalism (covering both the environment and the arts, but not at the same time), activism (starting nonprofits) and corporate publishing (going up and down with the dot–com boom). She gets to work with great people who share similar progressive values—and she has a really good time doing it.

Though Carolyn is a city creature, she can’t get enough of camping and hiking in the mountains, the desert and the hills of Northern California. She can’t be trusted with sharp objects (hatchets, say) but she builds a mean campfire.

Sandra Stewart, principal
After seven years as a magazine editor, Sandra realized that regular employment was not for her. The rules, the office politics, the resistance to change—she just couldn’t hack it. She loved the independence of freelancing as a writer, editor and editorial director, which she did for several years in a wide array of fields: high–tech, travel, the dot–com boom (she’s not sure that’s a field, but it felt like one), media criticism and women’s health. But after working on some great creative teams, she realized she wanted to be a part of one indefinitely. Thinkshift seemed like a good idea at the time, and it still does.

Despite Southern California roots, Sandra has never owned a car, but she does have a reasonable–size collection of primitive weapons. Her alter ego is the Grammar Queen, so watch your mouth.

Nancy Cutler, design consultant
Nancy, principal of Midnight Oil design studio, is a longtime collaborator who’s up for any print challenge: magazines, books, annual reports, newsletters, marketing collateral and corporate identity systems. Her clients include Adobe, Stanford Publishing Courses, Q3 Press and the Wine Institute, and her work has been recognized by the Western Publishers Association, Society of Publication Designers and Communication Arts.

Josh Krist, writer
Josh specializes in writing about travel, technology and spirits (the kind found in bottles). He has worked for the Associated Press in Jerusalem and Paris and for a research center in Japan, and helped leading companies—including HP, Microsoft and American Honda—with marketing and metrics analysis. He writes for Thinkshift projects in between updating guidebooks for Lonely Planet, cycling around the Bay Area and feeding his interest in livable cities and climate change. He’s afraid he’s becoming an urban hippie, but we think that’s OK.

Reed Kirk Rahlmann, namer & researcher
Reed is a veteran namer who has named and renamed services, products and companies in fields including food, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, financial services, high tech, agriculture and toys. He’s also adept at project foundation and market research interviews. In addition to providing those services for Thinkshift and other clients (such as Landor, Metaphor, Addis Group and Brandslinger), he walks on glass for tourists at Pier 39 and gives tarot readings that will blow your mind.

Kim Saccio-Kent, editor
After 20 years in publishing—including stints as a stripper (no, not that kind) at a small press and as online copy chief for a major national magazine—Kim still doesn’t know what she wants to do when she grows up. In the meantime, she edits copy for Thinkshift projects, holds down a part–time gig as PC World’s newsletter editor, and freelances for clients including Peachpit Press, the City of San Jose Public Arts Program, Cisco and others.