I am a writer, educator and marketing & distribution professional with 10+ years of experience in higher education and the media industry. I am an associate faculty member at the Cilker School of Art & Design at West Valley College in Saratoga, CA and a freelance media consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

 

As a researcher, I study human rights as a "genre" of cultural production. This genre has gained in popularity since the 1970s and today makes up a multi-billion dollar industry. My research focuses on global trends in the production and reception of human rights theater and media as well as issues of inclusion/exclusion in the field. Currently, my work is examining the role of women in human rights theater and media, specifically how female artists and directors from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine are using digital technologies and digital methods of distribution to creatively and politically make claims.  

 

I teach a wide range of courses on cultural representation in theater and film focused on the depiction of gender, ethnicity and race. Prior to joining the Cilker School of Art & Design, I was a Lecturer in the University of Minnesota's Theater & Dance program. 

 

I was the Marketing & Distribution Manager at Kino Lorber, Inc. from 2006-2010 (then Lorber HT Digital). In this capacity, I oversaw marketing and distribution efforts for 24+ feature and documentary films on TV, DVD and through digital platforms. I am currently a consultant at the Montalvo Arts Center and Stage Russia, a producer of filmed versions of theater productions from Russia. More about my industry background and current projects here.

 

I received a PhD in Theater History and Moving Image Studies from the University of Minnesota (2017) and a B.F.A in Theater and Film from the Tisch School of Arts at New York University (2006).

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