“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”
— Joan Didion
Curiosity killed the cat
I was a nosey child. I eavesdropped on adult conversations, and, when visiting family friends, I wanted nothing more than to go upstairs, snoop around, and learn how they lived their day-to-day lives when we weren’t there.
My socially conscious, manners-first grandmother often reminded me that “curiosity killed the cat.” My mother, her somewhat rebellious daughter-in-law, would wait a beat, lean towards me, and softly whisper, “But satisfaction brought it back.”
To this day, I remain curious by nature.
I want to know about you. I want to learn the ins and outs of your company, project, or product. I want to understand why it matters and why it matters to you.
Then, I’m going to want to tell everyone, using engaging content, informative storytelling, and pragmatic communications campaigns.
Expertise and experience
With a decade of experience creating and executing content and communications strategies, I’ve supported organizations of various sizes across multiple sectors. I’ve worked on a wide range of topics, including machine learning, quantum computing, tax policy, digital regulation, IVF, education policy, international development, blended finance, workforce solutions, sustainability, and more.
I’ve ghostwritten for CEOs, startup founders, state senators, and others. I’ve abridged books for best-selling authors, produced white papers for NGOs, and crafted the content and scripts for online courses.
Op-eds, blog posts, website copy, press releases, speeches, social media toolkits, pitch decks, proposals, book chapters, children’s books—you name it, I’ve written or edited it, and, more than likely, I enjoyed doing it.
My work has appeared in The Washington Post, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Hill, NY Daily News, ImpactAlpha, AfricaInvestor, NextBillion, The 74, The Washington Monthly, RealClear Education, Twenty-First-Century Southern Writers: New Voices, New Perspectives, and Rough South, Rural South: Region and Class in Recent Southern Literature.
Much of my recent content work is commercially confidential; however, it has appeared in Harvard Business Review, VentureBeat, TechCrunch, Quartz, and elsewhere. If we have a call, I can tell you more.
Some of my favorite pieces are below. You can find a complete portfolio here if you’re interested in reading more.
Overcoming an Outdated Narrative: Why Investors Need to Recognize Africa’s True Potential
How High-Impact Businesses in Emerging Markets Are Pivoting in the COVID Crisis
Taking Away $250 Tax Deduction Speaks Volumes About How We Value Teachers
Teachers Village: One City's Innovative Solution to Solving the Problem of Teacher Retention
Considering a Regional Investment Strategy to Drive Development in Higher-Risk Countries
Q&A with DPI’s Runa Alam: How Africa’s impact ventures became essential during Covid-19
Lastly, my favorite accomplishment is my children’s book The Lonely Daffodil. Even if we don’t end up working together, you should check it out for the little ones in your life. Good luck finding the ladybugs.
Academic qualifications
Master of Education, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Master of Philosophy, Literature, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Bachelor of Arts, English and Media Arts (Journalism), James Madison University, Virginia
Career experience
Content & Thought Leadership Manager, Grant Thornton, Dublin
Senior Content Lead, 150Bond, Dublin
Manager of Public Affairs and Advocacy, AmCham Ireland, Dublin
Communications Manager, USAID INVEST initiative, DAI, Washington, D.C.
Associate Director, Reinventing America's Schools project, Progressive Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.
English Teacher & Writing Center Director, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia
A complete CV available upon request.