Story first
I’ve always been a storyteller. At first, the stage was my medium – but I found the world of circus and stunts limiting in its ability to communicate emotion or tell a coherent narrative. I still do some training for fun and occasionally perform to support charitable causes, but my focus has changed.
Now, I use writing as a way to connect with people and connect people with each other. Whether that’s creative writing for children, genre writing for custom gifts, or marketing for brands, it’s all about building relationships.
Collaboration and curiosity
I have an interdisciplinary master’s degree in collaborative creative work. The degree was issued by Mississippi University for Women, but all the training took place in Italy through a program (now defunct, unfortunately) at the Accademia dell’Arte in Tuscany.
I worked with a team of professors and fellow students from different creative backgrounds—actors, writers, musicians, graphic designers, and more—to develop and refine a collaborative approach to creative work that ensures every voice gets heard and everyone’s skills get used effectively.
This results-based program tested students’ ability to connect with audiences in the real world. We created new interdisciplinary creative projects every 2-4 weeks, which were then presented for review by professors and the public. This allowed for a deep and rapid understanding of what works and what doesn’t as part of a creative team.
Due to the international nature of the program, with participants from roughly a dozen countries, we also learned principles that help connect with people regardless of culture.
