Anita Hecht

Owner of Life History Services, LLC, independent contractor for personal and public oral history archives production in video, audio, and print. .
Life History Services, LLC
https://www.lifehistoryservices.com
Anita Hecht holds degrees in history and clinical social work and is a licensed psychotherapist. An interest sparked as a Fulbright scholar in West Germany, she first began recording oral histories with Steven Spielberg's Visual History Foundation of the Holocaust, conducting over 40 videotaped interviews with Holocaust survivors in Mexico and the United States. She has since helped produce over 500 oral histories and archives, adhering to a client-centered and social justice orientation. In addition to working as an interviewer, producer, and public speaker, Ms. Hecht is an experienced writer, editor, and oral history consultant, helping individuals, families, and organizations plan and produce their own personal and public history projects and archives. Her work has been archived at The University of Wisconsin, Yale University, the Spielberg Foundation, and numerous other public and private institutions around the world. Ms. Hecht is fluent in English, Spanish, and German. She has been a member of the Oral History Association since 1999, and served as a 3-term board member and international liaison for the Association of Personal Historians.

Experience

Since 1997, Anita Hecht and her company Life History Services (www.lifehistoryservices.com) have been dedicated to helping individuals, families, institutions, and organizations capture and preserve their unique stories and history in print, audio, video, and multimedia formats. She holds degrees a Bachelors degree in History and a Masters degree in Clinical Social Work. She conducts oral histories in English, Spanish, and German.

Services

Skills building for all aspects of oral history work: pre-production, production, and post-production: in audio, video, print, and digital media projects. May include project planning, project research, oral history & active listening interviewing skills, transcription, narrative writing, editing for video and audio, genealogical research, archiving & distribution, book coaching, autobiographical writing workshops, project management

Languages

Regions Available for Work

Other Regions: Nationwide and International Services offered onsite and remotely

Specialty

Since 1997, Anita Hecht and Life History Services have offered national and international archival-quality oral history services dedicated to recording and preserving personal, family, business, and organization histories in video, audio, print, and digital media formats. Personal History Projects: approximately 15 projects per year: including full-length narrative memoirs, digital video and audio life history interviews (remote and onsite), genealogical research, photo & document digitization, oral history training, book coaching, and print editing projects. Current & Past Public History Projects: The Garden City Oral History Project (Garden City, Kansas)The American International School of Guangzhou, China (Guangzhou, China)Friends of the Jewish Chapel Oral History Project, US Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland)States Impact on Federal Education Policy Oral History Project (Albany, New York)The Lead Belt Jewish Oral History Project (State of Missouri)The William Proxmire Oral History Project (State of Wisconsin)

Methods

    • Other:
    • Internships, Subcontracting, Partial Production Services, Collaboration/Consulting with other Oral Historians

    Purpose of Contact

    • I am available to answer questions, or provide mentorship to other oral historians
    • I am available for hire - as an oral historian, consultant, presenter, educator, or related services
    • I am available to collaborate - on research, community projects, artistic endeavors, or other joint undertakings with peers
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