OVERVIEW
I’m an experienced audio journalist, host, and producer with a passion for public-interest journalism. Over the past two decades I have worked to build platforms in a variety of mediums for people to tell their stories, coaching their performances and work shopping their words to ensure anyone, regardless of prior experience, succeeds.
EXPERIENCE
So Say We All – 2009 to Present
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Created 501(c)3 storytelling arts and education nonprofit, So Say We All, with the mission “to help people tell their stories and tell them better.”
- Serve as lead fundraiser, grant writer, educator, host, and program producer; grew the organization to a $300K operating budget through grants, partnerships, performances, and programs.
- Individual writing and performance coach for more than 1,300 original nonfiction stories, told by more than 1,100 writer-performers.
AUDIO PRODUCER
- Created two streaming audio series featuring non-fiction storytellers on a variety of themes: “The VAMP Storytelling Podcast,” and a heavily produced and scored fiction series for La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls Festival, “Listen With The Lights Off.”
EDUCATOR, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
- Developed “Creative Writing Crash Course” series of 12 individual classes, taught to over than 500 students.
- Classes include: Getting Started on Your Story, Writing for Performance, Fundamentals of Storytelling, Character Development, Dialogue, and more.
KPBS – 2015 to 2020
INDEPENDENT RADIO PRODUCER / HOST, “INCOMING”
- Produced, edited, and hosted weekly interview radio hour featuring true stories from America’s veterans.
- Featured on “Here and Now with Robin Young” and NPR One.
INDEPENDENT WRITER & PRODUCER, “PERMISSION TO SPEAK FREELY”
- Wrote the six-part PBS television series focused on bridging the civilian-military divide by tackling a host of prevalent issues through an entertaining education format.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – 2004 to 2008
EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICER (O-3)
- Deployed to Juba, South Sudan (hazardous duty station) as the Special Assistant to the Senior Program Officer, responsible for fraud assessment, intelligence, staff training.
- Served in New York headquarters as emergency funding information monitor, and duty station intelligence monitor (HR).
Additional Roles
- Assistant to the Executive Director, National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped – 2002-2004
- Community Content Moderator, Huffington Post – 2009
EDUCATION
New York University – 1999-2002
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA); graduated with honors.
- Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Dramatic Writing.
SELECT AWARDS
- Community Leader Award – San Diego Writers Festival, 2019
- Best People of San Diego – Citybeat, 2016
- Breaking Away Award – KUSI News, 2015
- Creative Catalyst Fellowship – San Diego Foundation, 2013
- Rising Arts Leadership Award – Rising Arts Leaders, 2012