writing, design + creative strategy FOR SCIENCE, ARTS + COMMUNITIES

You want to build community centered on some kind of mission or great cause. You’ve got a really great idea, or something important the world needs to know, and you need to gather support. You’ve got a story to tell and it needs to be quick and to the point but also comprehensive and authentic. People reading your story need to immediately understand the ethos behind the movement, the science behind the data, the work behind the science, the impulse behind the innovation. You need copy for a website, slides for a presentation, a script for a speech, social media outreach including a compelling short video, and a one-pager that says it all, drawing in potential collaborators, investors and the right kind of crowd.

Ideally, you would have someone who could do all those things whom you could also consult for creative strategy and direction for any number of things that might come up along the way. Someone who has access to a unique network across the world in the arts, trades and sciences. Someone with a unique and layered perspective on human behavior. Someone with an approach that’s both academic and poetic. Because human communication is rooted in feeling.

That’s me. And I’m here to help those who are helping. Scientists. Artists. Community builders. And anyone else who has something they want to give back to this world.

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[ more about my work ]

take action, SAVE land, build community

The most important thing to do in a time like this is build community. Weave the people together. Do it now. If it’s already built, then make it better. Make it fun, and you’ll make it last. Building community takes real intention and patience, especially in the beginning. Keep your sense of humor. Establish the right foundation. Mindfully architect both the physical and cultural groundwork of your project at the outset. Really thinking through and spelling out your core principles makes future issues all the easier to navigate. It’s not just work. It’s art.

I can help you establish a foundation as we fine tune and expand upon your vision — from conception to launch to sustainability. We’ll get all your necessary communications down on paper and up online, craft media packages and presentations or speeches, and set the tone with the right voice and story for the particular kind of community you’re looking to build, the kind of impact you’re looking to make. A lifetime spent living in and working with a wide variety of intentional communities — from pioneering living developments to experimental community arts expeditions and actions — makes me uniquely adept at creating and sustaining unique creative communities.

As a child, I lived in Village Homes — a renowned living development in Davis, California, centered on ecological sustainability and fostering community. It’s one of the first of its kind in the United States, incorporating earth homes, solar power, communal gardens, an education center, a recreation center and shared green spaces, proving that progressive, alternative living development projects can sustainably thrive alongside traditional models in an urban environment.  Later in life, I helped to preserve and reimagine Shadetree — a community of thirty artists and tradesfolk on the Oakland waterfront which naturally formed over forty years after its inception in 1979.  This work helped to build bridges between city building inspectors, fire marshals, developers and creative spaces throughout the Bay Area. I’ve also helped to launch community building enterprises abroad. Currently, I continue to help conceive, launch and shepherd Dhun, a novel humanist living development project in Rajasthan, India, which began with a massive ecological regeneration campaign and is now building its first residencies, rooted in cultural preservation and traditional construction techniques and wisdom. 

the science of translating science

I have a great love and appreciation for scientific research and its practitioners — for the rational, procedural methodologies employed, the humility found in the face of the great unknown and the driving curiosity that compels one to explore it. I help conservationists raise awareness, researchers find the story in their findings, and ecologists convey their understanding of our world and its systems. This work is necessarily centered on climate change. It is critical that citizens and policy makers alike grasp the gravity and urgency of our current situation. It’s equally important to provide them with a wellspring from which to draw inspiration as we work to preserve a livable future for all on this planet. If you’re a scientist or academic looking to balance these two directives as you translate your work for presentation or fundraising purposes, I can help you find the language, design and approach that makes it resonate with your intended audience or the public at large.

WHEN PROFESSIONAL BECOMES PERSONAL

Regardless of your vocation or vision, a session with me will inherently involve a bit of therapy.  As we rewrite your bio, we talk through your life goals and iron out your list of accomplishments.  As we architect your website, we determine custom methods for you to stay organized daily.  We fine tune the language you use across platforms so that it reflects the way you choose to move through the world.  As we write each of these components, a plan forms.  Your path to the next stage of your life becomes clear.  And fun.  This is all supposed to be fun.  Transformation can be difficult at times, but ultimately, it’s meant to be appreciated and enjoyed.  Like a good book.