About
Youth Catalyst | Adjunct Professor | Environmentalist | Writer
Are you ready to make a difference in the world?
Let’s work to bring your vision to life: dream college, inspiring job, creating new hab... its for success in school and beyond, rocking the school system and understanding deeper context in what you are learning.
For over 13 years, I have globally mentored students aged 9 – 65. I am a lifelong learner, looking to understand deeper, gain more perspective and create bridges between differing opinions. I graduated magna cum laude from the honors college at Boston University (full academic scholarship).
I can help you with:
+ Bringing joy & purpose back into education,
+ Removing learning blockages,
+ Helping you to understand the big picture and finding their place in it.
+ Empowering you to recover passion in the learning process while improving their grades!
I mentor intellectually curious students of all ages and those who are challenged within standard education.
My experience ranges working in peacebuilding as a US diplomat, journalism & public relations (former Soviet Union) and studying with indigenous Andean elders. I’ve lived/worked in 28 countries in Africa, Europe, Latin America. Having seen so many perspectives, sessions serve as a bridge to the world outside the curriculum to help you to experience rather than to just learn something from a book.
Youth struggle because the school system lacks context affecting motivation. Whether we work together on history, political science, environment, writing, languages or college counseling, students will learn better when they understand why this matters, which leads to improved grades.read more
Experience
Adjunct Professor
The University of San Francisco
Aug 2019 - present
• Developed and taught an interactive and practical-based learning approach to international develop... ment in USF's Graduate School. Designed a curriculum to present innovative and critical approaches to development economics (Jason Hickel, Ha-Joon Chang), democratic development and conflict studies in a user-friendly way. The class teaches poverty-reduction strategies and addresses the colonial and neo-colonial inequalities linked to international assistance and stresses the importance of seeing the importance of empowering local populations to create sovereign solutions that address their current situation to facilitate equitable solutions.• Developed and taught an interactive and practical-based learning approach to international development in USF's Graduate School. Designed a curriculum to present innovative and critical approaches to development economics (Jason Hickel, Ha-Joon Chang), democratic development and conflict studies in a user-friendly way. The class teaches poverty-reduction strategies and addresses the colonial and neo-colonial inequalities linked to international assistance and stresses the importance of seeing the importance of empowering local populations to create sovereign solutions that address their current situation to facilitate equitable solutions.read more
Founder - Catalyst - Educator
Catalyzing Inspiration
Aug 2018 - present
• Launched a holistic leadership and tutoring company www.catalyzinginspiration.com
• Developed onl... ine community for building inspiration and trauma-informed wellness practices for holistic health, wellbeing, leadership and purpose.
• Designed and executed Inspiration Bootcamps for teens, young adults and professionals.
• Designed, developed and taught several trauma-informed university courses.
• Designed/taught social justice/democracy courses on Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the U.S.
• Mentored youth, improved employability through teaching life skills (critical thinking, research & wellness), writing and languages.
• Mentored young adults to create their own companies, find their dream jobs and develop foundational wellness practices to enter managerial leadership.
• Launched a mental health start-up with the 10-20 year strategic lens of creating a regenerative economic and mental health solution to global poverty, migration, colonial injustice, and growing global insecurity both in the Global North and Global South.read more
Project Coordinator and Fundraiser
Koginka Sewaluna Foundation
Sep 2014 - present
Full-time volunteer spearheading and developing an alternative climate change project addressing cli... mate solutions centered to fortify our connection with nature as the nexus for shifting current climate distress.
• Holistic Ecology: Coordinated workshops and events across California on ancestral practices of land stewardship and reciprocal relationship. Designed projects for protection and dissemination of indigenous wisdom and caretaking sacred sites.
• Indigenous Liaison: Liaised with local native tribes to determine their concerns and collaborate on solutions to climate distress, cultural preservation and recovering their traditional homelands. Public speaking on the importance of following indigenous protocols to ensure cultural preservation in remote pre-Colombian tribes such as the Kogi. Outreach on the need for reconciliation with communities and traditional sacred sites.read more
Executive Strategist (philanthropy, new business outreach, fundraising)
Regenesys School of Business - South Africa
Aug 2015 - Sep 2015
• Leadership: Executed needs assessment for new programs in entrepreneurship and public administrati... on with practical approaches aimed at boosting employment, developed fundraising and outreach strategy to build brand recognition/attract donors.
• Change Facilitator: Guided executive team and provided thought leadership on branding and philanthropic models, and developed new program model design.read more
Diplomat - Crisis Stabilization and Governance Officer
The U.S. Agency for International Development
Nov 2008 - Jul 2013
I worked as a U.S. Diplomat working on peacebuilding, conflict mitigation, democracy and positive yo... uth development projects. I spent tours of 1-2 years in Panama, Colombia and Bosnia.
In Panama, I worked on Central American Governance issues, gang violence, military groups like the FARC in Panama and Colombia.
In Colombia, I managed a $28 million local governance program to rebuild trust with communities in areas affected by Colombia's armed conflict, providing technical guidance. We worked a lot to reduce violence, rebuild trust and respecting human rights of indigenous populations.
In Bosnia, I managed a youth peacebuilding and environmental advocacy project with four local NGOs, mentoring project staff to build partner and youth capacity and providing technical advice for advocacy/civic engagement. I also studied mental health challenges in post-conflict/genocide populations and stress/anxiety issues.read more
Correspondent
Georgia Today
Nov 2006 - Apr 2008
Writing, editing and photojournalism
• Writing articles and developing stories on events in the Cau... casus.
• Developing and writing a restaurant guide to Tbilisi.
• Co-writing a tourist guide to Batumi.read more
Outreach Officer
The Georgian Ministry of Education and Science
Aug 2007 - Mar 2008
Project Management/Technical Writing: Led from start-to-finish a 25-page educational reform promotio... nal brochure for international audiences coordinating with ten different departments on rule of law and governance issues, such as decentralization, anti-corruption, human rights, integration of minorities and civil society participation.
• Communications: Produced/developed other outreach items including newspaper articles.
• Host government coordination: Liaised and worked intensively with dozens of Georgian government officials, including the Minister of Education and deputy ministers, and coordinated a team of lead Ministry officials of every department.read more
Communications Specialist
The U.S. Agency for International Development
Apr 2008 - Nov 2008
I worked for the U.S. Government for communications and served as the first point of contact for Eng... lish communications on USAID/Georgia's activities: Edited/developed all Mission communications including fact sheets, success stories, brochures, etc.; Coordinated media and VIP visits.
• Outreach: Editing/writing weekly reports, success stories, press releases, and other documents to meet quality standards; collaborating with USAID technical staff to develop briefing materials for Ambassador and Mission Director; maintaining USAID/Georgia’s external website; planning media and VIP visits with technical offices and communications team; photographing and writing stories on USAID projects.
• Humanitarian Assistance: Liaised with the USAID humanitarian assistance team after the Russia-Georgia conflict; Assisted with multiple high-profile congressional visits from VP Biden and various members of Congress to centers for internally displaced persons after the August 2009 Russia-Georgia conflict.; Participated in daily interagency emergency briefings.
• Elections: Monitored the May 2008 Parliamentary Elections as part of the US Embassy Delegation.read more
Professor
Georgian University of Social Sciences
Apr 2007 - Feb 2008
• Student Development: Fostered critical thinking, innovation and big-picture understanding through ... teaching writing and public administration to Georgian master's students from the public and private sector applying real world case studies from their country in transition to analyze and understand best practices for public administration.read more
International Lecturer
International Black Sea University
Jun 2006 - Jun 2007
• Student Development: Fostered critical thinking, innovation and big-picture perspectives by mentor... ing young women.
• Curriculum Development: Created two master’s curriculum teaching Global Politics and American Foreign Policy, focusing on social justice and human rights. Taught writing analytical thesis-driven essays to international students.read more
