A demanding and rewarding class, Design for UNICEF required research on many topics—from governmental and social structures in Burundi, to operations of international telecoms, to the intricacies of solar technology—in order to develop a realistic and thorough project proposal. Our final presentation, which was given at the UN, clearly communicated the components of our idea: a collaborative entrepreneurship project which brings accessible and affordable mobile phone charging to villages.
Plan A Advisors is a boutique consulting practice dedicated to nonprofits and philanthropy. I provide research, information synthesis, and data analysis services. Deliverables include maps and graphics for presentations, succinct research papers, meeting summaries, and prospect profiles. www.planaadvisors.com
CreatorBox delivers STEM focused build-it-yourself projects for kids ages 6-12. As a product engineer for this TechStars incubated startup, I was responsible for designing and fabricating toys that became retail items. Each toy required conceptual, design, and material research that was then used in developing prototypes and final products. www.creatorbox.com
The Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam exhibition was the first attempt made by the New York Public Library to connect a major exhibition to educational initiatives for teachers and students and free public programs for the general public. Over 6,000 individuals participated in an exhibition-related event. As the project manager in the department, I co-authored and edited an article for library professionals about the value of using public programs to extend the themes of exhibitions. The article, entitled “The Sacred in Society: Fostering Faith Discussion in Diverse Communities” was published in Connecting Cultures: Ethnic Services in the Libraries of New York State (NYLA, 2013).
Over the course of my professional experience, I have participated in coordinating dozens of events including lectures, workshops, performances, summer camps, and film programs. For every event, there is an associated description for digital marketing and print brochures and I have written, edited, and reviewed a nearly equal number of such descriptions. For each one, it is essential to be accurate and enticing while always keeping word count in mind.
The New York Public Library’s exhibition Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam received many accolades from visitors and reviewers alike. This exhibition and related programs represented a sea change for the Library and, to encourage further support this model, I worked with a colleague to prepare the extensive American Alliance of Museums Excellence in Exhibition Award application. Three Faiths won an honorable mention, an achievement never before realized at the Library.
Food is culture and, as a program coordinator at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), I explored this connection through a series of public events called Adventures in the Global Kitchen. For each one, I researched popular and lesser-known food historians, culinary experts, brewers and chefs and worked with them to develop an enticing and educational evening, which I then hosted. Always accompanied by tastings, I also worked with local purveyors to secure samples of related dishes.
I started working with the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival at AMNH as an intern and, over the course of 5 years, became a program coordinator for this premiere documentary film festival. In this role, I screened hundreds of film submissions and worked to curate films and speakers for the annual festival. One year, the closing night film featured Bela Fleck and was about the roots of the banjo. As an extension of the film, I arranged for a group of akonting players to perform after the discussion with the filmmaker. The music brought the themes of the film to life!
In celebration of the International Polar Year (2007-2009), AMNH highlighted the scientific research, adventure, and culture of the poles with lectures, performances, and a polar fair. I worked in partnership with colleagues at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Institute and the Earth Institute of Columbia University to coordinate a weekend of events for adults and children, including displaying a 6-foot-long ice core sample. Over 5,000 people attended the events with 95 presenters from 24 institutions.
In addition to creating events for adults, I had the opportunity to develop and deliver workshops for children at the American Museum of Natural History, including pysanky egg decorating and science adventure camps with topics like astrophysics, robotics, and ocean adventures.
Grow Grammar (formerly Sentopiary) is an educational iPad app designed to help elementary and middle school students learn grammar through writing. As the content developer on this project, I was responsible for the research that shaped the content and concept. This included a survey of similar software and extensive research on English grammar, how grammar is taught and learned, and, because Sentopiary is for use in the classroom, Common Core State Standards. Watch the demo video, view the image gallery. www.eeiioo.com