About Me

During the years I spent achieving my Ph.D., I accrued experience in the technosphere by building websites, designing logos, recording and cutting audio, and exploring modern technological systems and processes. At the time, I was the only anthropology doctoral student with an insight into (and interest in) SCRUM, Agile, and Lean Startup methodologies. During my research and after graduation I added professional experience to my quiver including gaining my Project Management Professional and Professional Scrum Product Owner credentials. Currently, I take on several roles at Aspenware – a leading technology company in the ski and outdoor recreation industries – including project management, product ownership, and business analysis.

 

System Diagrams
Wireframes
Journey Maps

Experience

 

PEOPLE | I leverage analytical and ethnographic skills to build relationships and solve problems.

 

Morsel, inc. – Chief content producer and ethnographer for a culinary-focused tech startup designed to leverage storytelling to build audiences and expand reach.

Fat Rice – Marketing and business specialist for James Beard Award-nominated Chef, Abraham Conlon. Designed and executed media events and promotional materials, business development research and strategy, cookbook research and editing.

Virtue Cider – Cider Culture Consultant responsible for systematic analysis of and recommendations for agricultural and cultural practices as well as communication strategy for sustainability-oriented business.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Food Issues – Content and critical engagement with such topics as “Paleo Diet,” “Mixology,” and “Clandestine Dining.”

 

ADVENTURE  | My expertise and research in building communities ignites conversations and inspires interaction.

 

WFIU Radio, Earth Eats – Interviewer and contributor for NPR member station radio program addressing food research and issues.

IU Food Institute – Program Administration responsible for expanding education, events, and outreach by bringing together students, professors, community members, and organizations concerned with environmental, social, economic and cultural issues related to food and food systems.

Bloomington Storytelling Project – Event administration and community development for local nonprofit organization and managing producer for companion bimonthly radio show The Porch Swing.

Third Coast International Audio Festival/James Beard Foundation – Ethnography of TCIAF’s “Appetite” ShortDocs competition as part of dissertation field research.

TECHNOLOGY  | I study how people interact with products in the real world, bringing a rich understanding of what delights and frustrates users to application design, resulting in systems that grow, develop, and have value.

 

www.indianafoodreview.com – UX/UI website design and content management for online publication of food scholarship.

www.punkandrevolution.com – UX/UI website design and media management for book companion site.

vietnamwarstories.com – UX/UI and graphic design for digital arts and humanities experience.

http://archivomesoamericano.org/camvasb/home.html – media and content management for CLAMA/CAMVA MesoAmerican Archive Project to preserve minority languages and culture.

 

Education

 

Indiana University, Bloomington – 2017

Ph.D. Anthropology, Food and New Media Studies

Dissertation: Slow Food and Fast Flows: Chefs, Cuisine, and Convergence

M.A. Anthropology, Food Studies, Indiana University, 2013

 

University of Colorado at Boulder – 2006

B.A. Spanish and International Affairs, summa cum laude

GPA: 3.96; Best Thesis Award: Cuisine, Culture and Class: Understanding the Relationship among Three Social Phenomena in Globalizing Modern Societies

 

Teaching

 

An engaged and interactive instructor, I cultivate an educational experience that resonates with students beyond the classroom by relating knowledge to real world interactions, fostering a peer-to-peer learning environment, and utilizing multimodal teaching strategies. Interdisciplinary instructor with focus on communication, culinary anthropology, and new media.

Indiana University, Bloomington

  • Intro to Public Oral Communication (Associate Instructor) 2017
  • Interpersonal Communication (Associate Instructor) 2015-2016
  • Intro to International Affairs (Associate Instructor) 2013
  • Wine: New World Reds (Instructor) 2012
  • Anthropology through Visual Media (Assistant Instructor) 2012
  • Archeology of Wine and Other Fermented Beverages (Co-Instructor) 2011

Skills

Spanish (adv.), French (int.), Desktop Publishing, Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, Asana, Elegant Themes, Microsoft Office, Mailchimp

 

References upon request.