artist; poet; dancer;
designer; facilitator;
embodiment guide;
astrologer;
[...]
I alchemize living systems principles, embodiment practice, sacred systems, art, regenerative design, and strategy methods to co-create wellbeing and positive transformation at the level of self, community and world.
I find myself both grappling with big, expansive questions and deep-diving into specific inquiries.
I question why things have to be done a certain way; I want to understand why and how through immersive experiments and experiences. I also have a deep desire to create based on the potentials I uncover.
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I'd describe myself as someone who flows between what are often posed as polarities:
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right-brain and left-brain musing;
creative intuition and rational thought;
blank canvases and spreadsheets;
yin and yang;
spontaneous laughter and serious discipline;
nature and constructed materials;
feminine and masculine.
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For me they aren't polarities - they are aspects of our nature that play together quite harmoniously; they need each other to maintain dynamic balance.​
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The combination of my formal education alongside an ever-evolving artistic mindset and mindfulness and embodiment practices, enables me to jump into new projects and new contexts with sense of confidence and humility.
I have a unique ability to stay laser-focused on the context of an endeavor while being able to uncover, synthesize and create possibilities from quantitative and qualitative data, direct experience, and insights.
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I have a deep respect for nature and passion for participating in the design of a more sustainable, integrated world where we align ourselves to the natural order of things, consume what is essential, and remember what's truly necessary to live consciously with contentment.
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It's hard to say what I "do" because I'm constantly shape-shifting and stepping into new arenas to get curious, see potential, and create. I'd rather say what I stand for and want to devote myself towards:
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the restoration of harmony and wellbeing in people and the environment,
through new and age-old means.
GUIDING VALUES ​
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Ongoing self-inquiry work is an essential part of who I am and how I maintain clarity and balance across all the different facets of my life. It has led me to establish a set of values that I lean on to stay grounded and stable amidst uncertainty and change.
Authenticity
Wellbeing
Dynamic Balance
Humility​
Non-attachment
Courage
I practice vulnerable, self-expression;
I stand up for integrity, always.
I prioritize the collective wellbeing of myself, others​ and the environment- sovereignty, agency, diversity, equity and inclusion of all life.
I align myself with nature's laws;
dynamic balance is my north star.
I am always a student first; I maintain a beginner's mindset.
I own my mistakes.
I invite in disconfirming evidence;
I let go of what's no longer working.
I trust my inner guidance systems;
I choose​ what's right over what's fun, fast, or easy.
EDUCATION + STUDIES​
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland
M.S. Strategic Design & Management, Parsons The New School for Design​
Select coursework in East West Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies
The Regenerative Practitioner Course, Regenesis Institute
The Systems View of Life Course, Capra Course
7-day Yoga and Meditation Immersion, Blooming Lotus Yoga
200hr YTT: Classical Hatha Yoga, Meditation, and Philosophy, Blooming Lotus Yoga
50hr Training: Hatha Yoga, The Practice
100hr Advanced Training: Classical Hatha Yoga, Meditation, and Philosophy, Blooming Lotus Yoga
Ishtara Body Method Training + Licensure, Ishtara
Sacred Systems, Geometry of Grace
A FEW NOTABLE EXPERIENCES​
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Engineering Development Projects
Adis Alem, Ethiopia
Engineers Without Borders
Over the course of 4 years, I touched three different projects aimed to co-create new engineering solutions for the community of Addis Alem. I led the second project: the creation of a pedestrian bridge. We co-created the design with community stakeholders, partnered with the local workforce, and used unique, local material and building methods to successful construct the ultimate design.
New Product Development Engineer
W. L. Gore & Associates​
I applied knowledge of materials science, textiles, thermodynamics, heat transfer and manufacturing to rapidly develop profitable new and derivative technical fabric products for fire protection applications.
Service + Business Designer
Peer Insight​
I worked with organizations to identify, research, design, and pilot new opportunities. For example, I partnered with an apparel company to identify, design, test, and accelerate a new circular service business model.
Adjunct Professor:
Venture Creation + Innovation
Virginia Commonwealth University
I worked with undergraduate and graduate students to apply principles of research, human-centered-design, experimentation, strategy, and entrepreneurship to early-stage ideas. I aim to help students access and activate their unique potential.