Projects
Major Research Project: Working Through It
This was the capstone project for my Masters degree in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD University. This was an independent work titled "Working Through It: Reimagining Grief and Bereavement in the Workplace Post Covid-19".
Key activities: Primary research (interviews), Secondary research, data analysis, research ethics board application, journey mapping, empathy mapping, solution ideation, prototyping, presentation
Team Moonshot takes the RDC Design Challenge
Is it crazy to decide to take on a 6-week intensive business design challenge just for fun when you're in the final four (and most intense) months of your Masters program? Yes, probably a little bit, but that's just what I did in January 2022 when a few pals from my cohort reached out about applying to the Rotman Design Challenge. Together with Alejandra Farias, Justine DeRidder, and Thomas Changarathil, we became Team Moonshot!
Key activities: Research, stakeholder interviews, affinity mapping, empathy maps, journey maps, prototyping, business model canvas, expert interviews, solution ideation, presentation
Vulnerable populations and COVID-19
This design thinking challenge had me working in a team to address high stress levels among kindergarten teachers in Toronto, Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key activities: Research & analysis, persona building, journey mapping, empathy mapping, business model canvas
This project was completed as part of my Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD U in Toronto.
Scenario Building for Future Cultural Identities
Tracking trends and drivers related to space exploration, my team and I considered the implications of how an increased and prolonged presence in space will change human cultural identity.
Key activities: Research & analysis, scenario building, foresighting using 2x2 matrix, storytelling, narrative building, strategic planning, backcasting
This project was completed as part of my Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD U in Toronto.
Why We Buy: A Systems Analysis of Consumerism
Examining the forces that fuel the North American instinct to purchase and consume at the highest rates in the world, this project looked at the larger systemic issues at play.
Key activities: Research & analysis, iterative inquiry, Causal Layered Analysis, Causal Loop mapping, system mapping, 3 Horizons model, journey mapping
This project was completed as part of my Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD U in Toronto.
Writing & Communications
Content Marketing
I loved diving deep into a subject and creating a robust, keyword-rich article that not only gets traffic flowing to a website, but actually helps people once they arrive!
Prospect Research Primer: A simplified breakdown that demystifies the concept of Prospect Research for not-for-profit fundraising.
Indiescreen: An industry publication for Canadian media producers. I was a contributing writer for the Winter 2018 issue (see pages 11 and 16).
FOUNDATION Magazine: I contributed an article for the premier issue of this industry magazine focused on the philanthropy sector.
"Periscope" Release
Toronto-based musician Tristan Armstrong was releasing one of his most ambitious singles yet. As a departure from his signature rock sound, Armstrong approached me to write an engaging press release that would garner attention and compel readers to give the song a listen.
Listen and watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlrVr2D5tQs
"Sing In Your Sleep" Release
Following up wintry "Periscope" with the decidedly summer tinged single "Sing In Your Sleep", Tristan approached me again to write another press release for this new single. Capturing the spirit of an audio track in a written format can be challenging, but I think we got it.
Listen and watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuiW7tjb3KA
Travel Writing
Sensing I was approaching a "now or never moment", in my mid-20s I threw caution to the wind and quit my steady, full time job to travel around the world for a year learning a different skill in each country I visited. I blogged about the trip for my own enjoyment, but I also wrote a series for lifestyle website She Does The City. Archived versions of my posts can be found below: