About

I am a facilitator, educator, and learning designer dedicated to advancing social well-being and environmental justice through collaborative and equity-centered research, education, advocacy, and community engagement. With 20 years of experience spanning nonprofit, academic, and community-based settings, I specialize in integrating subject matter expertise with participatory methodologies for managing programs and solving complex challenges.

In the nonprofit sector, I have worked as a Project Assistant with the Center for International Policy (Washington, D.C.), a Program Associate in Training and Facilitation with the Institute of Cultural Affairs (Washington, D.C.), and as a Research Assistant with OMNI Institute (Denver, CO). From 2013 to 2018, I worked closely with 350 Colorado as both a board member and local team leader (Fort Collins, CO), engaging in issue advocacy and leading the design and implementation of community-centered educational events.

In higher education, I have served as an Assistant Professor (Political Science and Environmental & Sustainability Studies) and Associate Professor (Political Science and Global Studies) at the University of Northern Colorado and Lesley University, respectively. Issues of equity and procedural justice have underpinned my multidisciplinary research on critical resource and environmental management. Some of this work is exemplified in my book, funded by Fulbright and drawing upon 18 months of in-depth fieldwork in Central America: Transforming Rural Water Governance: The Road From Resource Management to Political Activism in Nicaragua (University of Arizona Press, 2019). I earned my PhD in Politics and Latin American & Latino Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and am a member of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD), and the American Political Science Association (APSA).

Currently, I consult with environmental and social service nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area, providing facilitation, process design, and thought partnership to drive equitable programs, workstreams, and outcomes. One of my goals as a consultant is to facilitate development of inclusive, partnership-based work approaches both within and across organizations.

Outside of work, I am passionate about writing, hiking, social justice advocacy, and fostering kindness and empathy in my children. For me, joy comes from connecting with neighbors, “building a bigger table,” and dancing and singing with my kiddos.

“Belonging is the end game.” ✨

💦 Check out my book!
📚 Libro en español
🍉 Facts4Palestine
🕊️Bystanders No More