Professional Statement
I am a student in the dual masters degree program in History of Art and Design and Library and Information Science at Pratt Institute with an anticipated graduation date of May 2027. After working internationally as a design researcher and cultural anthropologist supporting design teams and C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies, I am studying management of archives and special collections to dedicate my experience in design, art history and strategy to public service. I am passionate about accurately preserving historical record and ensuring resources within the fields of art history and decorative arts are discoverable by scholars, practitioners and the public.
Experience and Areas of Study
Archives and Special Collections
Having grown up in the Bay Area and worked for twenty years in product development for the tech sector, I witnessed a lack of long view leadership. I decided to commit my energy towards developing a comprehensive new skill set in information technologis to preserve historical record. I am working towards advanced certifications in archives and museum studies to preserve cultural memory for the benefit the public.
Material Culture & Late Industrialization
I am applying my knowledge of industrial design and cultural anthropology to study the realtionship between technological development, material culture and shift in art and design. Within the Art History degree, I am conducting coursework focused on material culture of class hierarchy in the British and American industrial revolutions. This research is in preparation for an investigation of the aesthetics of class in post industrial America.
Design Research & Cultural Anthropology
For over twenty years I designed, priced and led international studies for clients requiring foresight and dsign strategy for brand redesign and new product development across cultural contexts. Working internationally across a spectrum of creative environments, I delivered strategic routes for a client roster that included ABC, Alphabet, Google, CHANEL, Fidelity, Nike, Reuters, Boucheron, Levis, DeBeers, Sony, Samsung, BMW, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Mars, PepsiCo, Mars, Tapestry, Singapore Airlines and Coca Cola.
Teaching & Training
I trained professional strategists and designers internationally in areas of applied cultural anthropology, design research and media analysis for innovation and communications strategy. Some of the Masters and Bachelors level courses I taught were for Luxury Brand Management, Art Direction, Communications and Brand Design at Domus Academy and Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti. Today, I provide training in communications strategy for individuals working in renewable energy and equitable technology.