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Other Activities & Interests

OTHER ACTIVITIES & PASSIONS



In an attempt to aggregate the diverse interests I have in my reading and personal research — and in hopes of finding others with resources and thoughts to share to help me learn more! — here are some of my current Research Interests: Neoliberalism; globalization/anti-globalization movement; anthropology of capitalism / climate change; social movements - general strikes, climate advocacy, Zapatista and other Mexican contexts, Quebec context; "futures"/foresight - generally and anthropology of; clean energy; solar and supply chain impacts; Bolivia; East Bay history, gentrification; public transit, active mobility, promoting bike infrastructure; policing, abolition in practice, abolition activism, anthropology of law enforcement; 'future of mobility' / emerging mobility technologies e.g. autonomous vehicles on The Everyday, data ownership/privacy issues; music/sound production; applied anthropology / ethnography in business; business of anthropology; anthropology of law, policy; anthropology of entrepreneurship; tech saviorism / utopianism; democracy and digital engagement; emerging anthropological media/storytelling methods; the use of (science & speculative) fiction as anthropological/activist method; 'postcolonial' theory; feminist and queer theory.


ARCHIVES | WHAT I'M UP TO

In my design practice, I'm coming up on a decade of experience shipping beautiful user-centered solutions. I bring a background in anthropology and a passion for working in close collaboration with others in agile frameworks — and with an MBA and product management experience under my belt as well, I'm also driven to ensure product strategy and processes are effective and impactful for business priorities. I've also always loved mentoring designers entering the industry, so please get in touch!

Outside of my design work, I'm focused on creating positive change in my East Bay community through climate advocacy with 350 Bay Area Action. I'm also building my consulting practice to support design and innovation projects for sustainability- and equity-focused organizations, and involved in a range of creative endeavors.

I'm focused on creating positive change in my East Bay community through climate advocacy with 350 Bay Area (hosting a new monthly event series with the Mobilizing Team, and 350BAA Board of Directors). I also enjoy experimenting with music creation, ceramics, reading and promoting local art projects as Chair of the El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission. I'm also building my consulting practice to support design and innovation projects for sustainabilty- and transportation-focused organizations.

I'm focused on creating positive change in my East Bay community through climate advocacy with 350 Bay Area (Mobilizing Team, Clean Energy Policy Action Squad, and 350BAA Board of Directors) and Climate Reality Project (El Cerrito Building Electrification policy researcher). I also enjoy experimenting with music creation, reading and promoting local art projects as Chair of the El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission. I'm also building my consulting practice to support design and innovation projects for sustainabilty- and transportation-focused organizations.

I work as a Software Product Manager at SunPower while deepening my involvement in clean energy advocacy through 350 Bay Area & 350BA Action, and giving back to the amazing Clean Energy Leadership Institute community by volunteering on the Bay Area 2021 Selections Committee.
My continued involvement with the El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission has been a highlight of my life lately, as I've gotten to meet the most incredible, interesting people in my community like our new Poet Laureate, as well as seeing our Utility Box Pilot program artwork go up and joining an exceptional Senior Stroll.
I'm also still going for lots of neighborhood walks and finally have a new keyboard set up to play around more with my musical goals, and reading up on racial justice and social movements (please share any suggestions!).

I stay involved in various projects applying my passions for public policy advocacy and community engagement:

I'm focused on creating positive change in my East Bay community through climate advocacy with 350 Bay Area (Mobilizing Team, Clean Energy Policy Action Squad, and 350BAA Board of Directors) and Climate Reality Project (El Cerrito Building Electrification policy researcher). I also enjoy experimenting with music creation, reading (currently: Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Blood in my Eye) and promoting local art projects as Chair of the El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission.

I work as a Software Product Manager at SunPower — a dream opportunity to get to work full-time on climate change mitigation through scaling solar adoption! In my spare time, I'm also deepening my involvement in clean energy advocacy through 350 Bay Area & 350BA Action. Meanwhile, our Arts and Culture Commission has approved some exciting new programs including appointing a new Poet Laureate, initiating a Utility Box painting pilot and funding a socially-distanced theater experiment. I've also been taking advantage of the continued lockdown to try to explore new walks around my neighborhood, practice making music, exercise more, catch up on reading and take some French classes!
I'm also taking a French class with the Alliance Française de Berkeley, which has been really fun to jump back into, though I'm learning that I picked up more Quebec-isms than I'd realized (which I'm honestly very proud of). I also recently joined the Board of Directors of 350 Bay Area Action, the political sister org to 350 Bay Area, and am excited to get more involved there.

I've just started a new role as a Software Product Manager at SunPower — a dream opportunity to get to work full-time on climate change mitigation through scaling solar adoption! After an incredibly educational experience working on the campaign cycle, I'm excited about diving back into the tech world to build and scale impactful products.

Transportation Planning Graduate Studies: I've been designing my own education around my passion for transportation/urban planning for a while now, and was so excited to find a graduate certificate program at San José State University where I could formalize a foundational learning experience in this space. With online classes one night a week, it's an awesome way to really dive in while keeping up all my other projects.

Writing & Researching: Aiming to share some of my policy analysis work on my blog shortly! I'm also preparing a short talk for the Long Now member Ignite talks in October.

The urgency of the climate crisis calls for immediate action. I left my role as a Product Manager working on a shared electric vehicle fleet management software platform ( AndGo by Goodyear ) recently to dive more deeply into opportunities to impact this issue, with a particular focus on scaling clean energy and equitable, sustainable transportation. After dedicating a few months now on organizing around the election, I'm excited to start the hunt for my next role.

PS - Local artists, apply to get involved with various public art opportunities in El Cerrito here !

Democratic Organizing in Contra Costa County: I'm a volunteer on the field strategy team of our county's Coordinated Campaign to support progressive candidates up and down the ballet. It's been an amazing learning experience for me — a crash course in phone bank captaining and everything that happens behind the scenes to endorse and support candidates. I currently support four weekly phone banks.

General learning and exploration: Taking time to focus on learning and exploring what I want to do next has been really valuable as I'm preparing for a career pivot. In addition to the bigger projects above, I've also been catching up on coursera courses and other trainings in my professional development backlog.

Future-of-Mobility & Clean Energy Events/Conferences: I'm so happy to have more time to plug into all the amazing conversations happening on these key interests! My fellowship with the Clean Energy Leadership Insitute just ended (and was an incredible experience) and I'm excited to continue to be involved as an alum there too.

After years in tech, my experience in the Clean Energy Leadership Insitute (as well as a few key urbanist events) opened my eyes to the need for policy to enact needed changes — and helped me realize that my lifelong passion for this area could form a more impactful career. I'm now focused on building a research portfolio and taking graduate courses in urban planning while preparing for potential further graduate study in public policy/transportation.

Here's my little Long Now talk from 02020 - would love to chat about any of these topics!

Since leaving my role as Product Manager of future-of-mobility tech at Goodyear's San Francisco Innovation Lab (working on the AndGo by Goodyear platform), I've been exploring how I can best impact the climate catastrophe and crucial upcoming election — and my theory of change has now shifted.

Through work with various local environmental advocacy groups and my fellowship with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, and now as I'm studying foresight, transportation planning and cities while exploring new roles, I'm seeing more than ever how we need policy intervention to be able to combat the climate crisis as fast as is required.

I'm still excited about the right PM or Sr. Designer role as I'm motivated by building products people use and love and I've found opportunities to make meaningful impact in both roles, but I'm taking the time too to dive into policy opportunities in this space.

I recently left my role working on innovation in mobility & future-of-transportation tech at Goodyear's San Francisco Innovation Lab (where I was Product Manager / Sr. Designer of the AndGo by Goodyear platform) in order to make time to figure out what I want to focus on next... and seeking to do everything I can to impact the climate catastrophe and crucial upcoming election.

To do this, I'm working with various local environmental advocacy groups, finishing up my fellowship with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, and studying foresight, transportation planning and cities while exploring new roles. In addition, I serve as Chair of my city's Arts & Culture Commission and also enjoy biking, kiteboarding, sailing, traveling, reading, screenprinting and making ceramic art.

I'm now interested in PM or Sr. Designer roles as I'm motivated by building products people use and love and I've found opportunities to make meaningful impact in both roles.