Projects

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 FariasJustine 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:

Surfing in Costa Rica

Tango in Argentina

Fencing in Spain

Archery in England

Wine Making in Bulgaria

Massage in Thailand

Yoga in Indonesia

Extreme Sports in New Zealand

Using Format