I have been writing professionally for more than 15 years.
Today I write about a variety of topics including social impact, systems change, ethics, leadership, collaboration, communications, creativity, and culture.
You can find my most recent content on Substack.
My very best content is on Patreon. I also have publicly available content on Medium, and here on this website (scroll down or use the search bar).
I’ve written for 20+ publications, including The Design Justice Network and the Field Guide to Climate Design.
Contact me if you’re interested in me writing for your audience or publication!
This 37-page research-backed digital book is about how visuals, and graphic facilitation specifically, can engage individuals and improve group trust and productivity. With more than 30 references, it includes both theoretical and practical information on the importance and many benefits of using visual tools to support collaborative communications and processes.
The turn of the year is always a great opportunity to inquire. What went well last year? What does it make sense to do differently next year?
Because reflective practice is such a big piece of who I am personally and professionally, I have decided to make my annual report this year more than a mere collection of meaningful visuals.
I'm delighted to share the major questions that I posed to myself, and what I discovered when I looked back on all the data I collected over the year.
Read MoreHave you heard that it takes 80% of the energy that you'll invest in a project to finish the last 20% of the project? (This is known as the Pareto principle.) As surprising as that sounds, it rings true for me and my experience. Here are my hard-won tips for finishing projects you’ve begun.
Read MoreI work with organizations who are constantly asking what it means to work together and who are braving new frontiers when it comes to doing it better. From them I have learned that collaboration may be easy to talk about but it is often difficult to do in practice (and even harder to measure). I've witnessed that one of the most challenging requirements for teamwork is keeping everyone engaged. Interestingly, researchers have unveiled a paradox here: the best collaborative efforts are the result of BOTH creating safe space for everyone to contribute equally AND intentionally supporting those who add the most value. Here I will describe how I think these aims might best be balanced using the process and framework of design thinking.
Read MoreIt has come time for some final suggestions for how you can best care for yourself in order to have the strength you need to make change in this world. If you know much about me, you probably know I can't really talk about change without talking about nature. So it shouldn't surprise you too much that this last part is all about how to use its power in your life.
Read MoreThe great paradox of change is that while it must begin and end with ourselves, we absolutely cannot do it alone. Of course, no one can do self-care for us, but we also can't fully care for ourselves without receiving the support we need from others.
Read MoreIt my belief that whether we wish to change our organization, family, culture, or world, we must first be willing to change ourselves. While healthy eating and exercise habits are essential to supporting this change, when we choose to consider the best use for our minds as well is when we really see some dramatic shifts in our lives.
Read MoreBeing a "change agent" requires all of ourselves. No matter how we are seeking to transform our world, we must be committed in heart, mind, and body in order to dedicate our lives to this vision. This sort of commitment can take its toll.
Read MoreThere's (at least) two attitudes I could approach the process of redesigning my website with. One is resistance, dread, or fear. Feeling ashamed of what I don't like, and regret for not addressing it sooner. Another is with hope, anticipation, excitement. Feeling clear about what I do like, and grateful to be able to make some changes now. Either way, I must accept that change is inevitable. Everything either evolves or collapses. Nature never creates same thing twice. Iteration is a wonderful law, enabling unfathomable diversity and immense beauty.
Read MoreI drove into Estes Park at sunrise, arriving early for the Tapestry conference on data storytelling. I hadn't planned to sketch the presentations that day, but when I joined my colleagues for the morning keynote, I found a pad of paper (and a somewhat sloppy ballpoint pen) that the Stanley Hotel had provided for each attendee. And ,of course, I couldn't resist. Here is a collection of my notes from the eight speakers that followed, each contributing to a delightful, varied conversation about the many nuances of telling stories with data.
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