Oral storytelling inspires me in my work as a qualitative researcher, small-group facilitator, and educator. AS a consultant, I excel at transforming careful, respectful observations and in-depth interviews into meaningful analyses. As a community creator, I transform memories and stories into expressions of strength, connection, and growth.Working with nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, I strive to empower individuals while building strong communities. I understand the critical steps from idea to implementation, funding to evaluating, along with the challenges faced by diverse stakeholders.My previous work in restaurants, food media, recipe development, and culinary history gives me particular insight into how people make and share food. From cattle ranches in Idaho to home kitchens in India, I help clients uncover the structures and behaviors, memories and emotions that shape day-to-day choices throughout our global food system.I am a founding member of Survival Project, an international artist collective focused on the multi-sensory, multi-disciplinary exploration of resilience during extreme times. Delving into how individuals and communities sustained themselves through events of upheaval, the project draws from oral histories, local knowledge, archival material, and original artwork to present techniques and skills for coping with a range of crises situations. I have a BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University (CT), an AOS for Professional Chef from California Culinary Academy, and am currently a candidate for MSc in Sustainable Development at University of Sussex.
Services
Oral History, Elicitation, Policy Analysis, Program Development, Program Evaluation, Grant-Writing, Focus Group Facilitation, Museum Installations, Event Planning, Content Strategy, Food History, Micro-Entrepreneurship
Regions Available for Work
Other Regions: California (Bay Area)|| Hawaii (O'ahu)
Specialty
My current focus is ensuring that tourism development in the Global South is environmentally sustainable and that it provides long-term, community-determined benefits for local residents and hospitality workers.My areas of expertise include: food systems, migration, placemaking, micro-entrepreneurship, hospitality, sustainable tourism, community development, community resilience. Skills:-- Writing and editing-- Teaching (small groups, lecture, demo, and interactive workshops)-- Strategic planning-- Program development-- Collaborative ethnographic research-- Expert interviews and oral history-- User-experience research-- Surveys-- Grant writing-- Small business planning
Subject Areas
- Local/Regional Histories:
- California, Hawaii, Vietnam, Southeast Asia
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
