I am a Political Scientist and Interaction Designer by training, a writer by force of habit and compulsion, and a foodie, contra dancer, traveler, and puzzle-lover by choice and association. I sometimes go to Unitarian Universalist churches, I know how to scuba dive, I like making music mixes and I know how to solve the Rubik's cube, but it's hard to explain and I still don't really understand why the last part works.

I believe that people can change the world by paying attention to their dreams and endeavoring to bring bits of them into reality, and I hope to do my part both by acting on behalf of my own dreams and by building tools that will inspire others to act on behalf of their own. That, in a nutshell, is why I love design.

I do what I do because I believe that information has as much potential to empower as it does to overpower, and thoughtful, iterative, participatory design is what will shift the balance. The future of technology is not just about smaller, faster, shinier and sexier. It is also about uncovering connections that were invisible before. I want to build tools and experiences that help us grow.

To that end, I care more about making an impact than I do about job titles, which has not led to the most direct career path. I have spent the last five years growing a nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator position into a consulting business, with a focus on helping nonprofits navigate the ever-changing landscape of web-based tools and services to find solutions that fit their needs and budgets. I enjoy this work, but my impact is limited by the constraints of the systems and tools that already exist, so I am also always on the lookout for opportunities that will enable me to contribute to the design of better tools from the ground up. If you know of such an opportunity, I look forward to hearing from you.