Strategic interpretive planning with Arch Street Meeting House to develop the implementation plan for an ambitious new interpretive vision for this historic Philadelphia site. Located in the heart of colonial Philadelphia, ASMH has served as the largest Quaker meeting house in the United States for over 200 years. In that time it has served as a center of faith, community dialog, and activism around some of the most fundamental issues in our country's history--war, prisons, slavery, environmentalism. How can we help visitors connect with these narratives and continue to encourage dialog and engagement around contemporary social justice issues?

UNSILENCE
Chicago, IL

OXYGEN evolved from a personal experience while visiting Paris during the Friday the 13th attacks in November 2015. As I helped my family navigate difficult conversations with my young nieces about the attacks and security lock-downs that directly affected their community, I witnessed adults struggling with their own responses, which in turn impacted the socio-emotional responses of the children in their care. Having lived in New York City during the 9/11 attacks and through my work and research in human rights and social justice education, I empathize with the struggle faced by many parents and educators trying to make sense of “senseless violence” for not only themselves, but also their children and students.
 
While discussing plans with UNSILENCE Founder Danny M. Cohen for an interactive and scenario-based resource to aid adults in navigating this difficult landscape, I connected with the idea of an airplane oxygen mask and the instructions we receive every time we fly: to secure your own mask before assisting those around you. We can only truly help and care for those around us once we’ve secured our own physical, and emotional safety. 

Strategic interpretive plan and conceptual exhibition development for a re-envisioned core exhibition about the history of Hopkinsville, Christian County, and the surrounding region. Hopkinsville lies at the crossroads of U.S. history like few other places--settled by Revolutionary War veterans, a well-worn supply station along the Trail of Tears, birthplace of Jefferson Davis, dividing fault line between the slave-holding plantations of the Confederacy and smaller family farms of the Union, center of agricultural industrialization and the tobacco wars, key stop on the Chitlin circuit,...just to name a few. Housed in the historic 1914 Hopkinsville Post Office building, MHHCC lies at a crossroads of a different kind--transitioning from an institution that tells the stories of collected objects through a narrow lens, to one whose collection can now be curated to celebrate the diverse stories and experiences of life in Hopkinsville. This new plan envisions a cultural resource to help anchor a revitalized downtown and engage local and regional audiences in exploration and dialog.

Exhibition script development & editing for the ImagiNATIONS Activity Center at National Museum of the American Indian in New York City. Prototype testing with exhibition team and fabricators to ensure clear interpretive and directional signage.

NMAI imagiNATIONS Activity Center opened on May 17, 2018.

Read more:
Celebrating Native Innovation (American Indian Spring 2018)
New Youth Center at American Indian Museum Focuses on Invention (NY Times)

Education content strategy & development, user experience design, and information architecture for the Penn Museum's inaugural Public Classroom about Science and Race: History, Use, and Abuse and its online web portal. 

Digital Interpretive elements for the groundbreaking exhibition at Eastern State Penitentiary: What are Prisons For? and Letter to My Future Self. 

Strategic plan and change management to support the merger of Life Sciences Foundation with Chemical Heritage Foundation. Discovery sessions with executive leadership, institutional evaluation surveys, and facilitated working sessions with education staff resulted in a process of strategic visioning, clarification of goals, and organizational buy-in from all levels of the organization to support a streamlined integration of two educational missions. 

Visitor experience consultation and exhibit recommendations for the reimagined Kids’ Corner Family Gallery at Delaware Art Museum. Conducted discovery sessions with education and exhibit staff as well as member families to identify interpretive priorities for the gallery. Conducted onsite observations of families and school groups. Made recommendations for a phased approach to the gallery redesign which took into consideration limited staffing and budget constraints. Developed floorplans for a flexible gallery space that would support articulated exhibit and programming goals.

Content Strategy, UX, and Information Architecture for online digital archive and exhibit focused on the 150th anniversary of the Lincoln assassination. Visitors can explore the complex history surrounding the assassination and the mixed reaction of a nation still reeling from the Civil War through primary sources culled from a broad range of content partners from across the country. 

Interpretive visioning for ImagiNATIONS Activity Center focused on Native innovation in the areas of science, math, and engineering. Facilitated discovery and design studio sessions with NMAI exhibition team (designers, educators, developers) resulting in concept development for a select number of digital interactives as well as prototype development and testing of an interactive multi-player game (Cropetition) focused on the agricultural science behind the Three Sisters (corn, squash, and beans)

The imagiNATIONS Activity Center opened to the public on May 17, 2018. 
"The only problem with the exhibit is that it's too sticky.  We can't get kids to stop playing."
- NMAI exhibit team member

Read more:
Playing "Cropetition" - It's More Than Agriculture (American Indian Spring 2018)