Graduate of

  Yale    Duke  

Academic Specialties

University, Law School, Other Grad School, Private HS

Professional Specialties

Education; Consulting; Non-Profits; Publishing; Film/Media; Writing/Editing; Social Justice; Human Rights

Some What Interesting Tidbits

A native New Yorker and lover of Central Park and Coney Island who now calls the Twin Cities home, I studied at Yale and Oxford before moving to North Carolina for grad school (to get my Ph.D. and become a Duke basketball megafan!). I’m an adventurer: I've walked the Great Wall of China and climbed Half Dome at Yosemite. I’m a roadtripper: I’ve driven from Graceland to the Grand Canyon and set foot in 45 states (I’m coming for you, Alaska!). I’m a globetrotter: I’ve lived in Dublin, Barcelona, Berlin and spent a summer touring Asia with my college singing group. Little known-facts: I can speak Irish-Gaelic, I almost became a concert pianist, and I was crowned NYC sight-singing champion in 5th grade (give me any piece of music and I'll sing it!). I’ve learned from my five wildly different siblings (a surgeon, a fashion designer, an ad agency creative director, a computer scientist-geologist, a teacher) that everyone needs to embrace their own unique path in life! Find your passion and run with it.

Most interesting/memorable moment(s) from school

Singing atop the Great Wall of China with the Yale Glee Club! Being a Freshman Counselor my senior year and helping new students through the inevitable highs and lows of starting college. Learning true stories of the Cold War from historian and diplomatic insider Gattis Smith. Graduating college the same day Lena Horne received her honorary degree -- in the pouring rain! Hearing Hilary Clinton speak on the New Haven Green years before she became Secretary of State. Literally running into David Bowie during intermission at a Broadway play. Cooking with author Salman Rushdie at a colleague’s dinner party. Teaching my first seminar at Duke. Wearing my Ph.D. robe and being called Doctor for the first time!

Best advice for applicants

Believe in yourself. Discover your talents. Be patient: achieving your educational dreams and building a fulfilling life takes time. You may encounter people in your life who are “glass half empty” folks, who approach situations with negativity and may try to squash your confidence. Don’t listen to them! Stay positive, stay focused, stay true to who you are. We all experience challenges, difficult moments, traumatic events; remember that although these experiences are part of us, they don't define who we are and what’s possible next! Finally: Most careers in 2019 take twists and turns; I started off as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs, then became a professor and educator. Be open to new paths and opportunities, and ask for help when you need it. The greatest success stories, the heroes and mentors you most admire, knew how to ask for help -- and became stronger for it!