Motivation, Mindset & Equity Consulting
"I believe that learning to embrace challenges with optimism and inclusivity is paramount for humanity’s survival and thriv."
Education
Ed.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Education – 2018
B.A. Stanford University, Psychology – 2011
A.A. Santa Monica College, Psychology and Anthropology – 2008
Expertise
I am passionate about helping people and organizations apply insights from psychology research to improve motivation, equity, resilience, and academic achievement. My area of expertise is the social psychological factors that can support—or undermine—our motivation, resilience, inclusiveness, and sense of belonging. These factors include:
- beliefs about the malleability of ability (growth mindset),
- sense of belonging or belonging uncertainty,
- perceptions of the value and cost of engaging in tasks,
- a sense of purpose and passion,
- experiences of social identity threat (or worries about being judged negatively based on your identity),
- experiences of bias (implicit or explicit),
- experiences of trauma and,
- integrated identity development
What I have learned over my career about affecting meaningful improvements in equity and engagement is that it requires a multi-pronged approach that is coordinated and coherent––one that attends to the recursive processes that unfold within individuals, between individuals and groups, and within structures, all of which can reinforce and amplify long-standing power hierarchies, unequal access to opportunities, and deficit-based narratives about the root causes of inequality.
We know from research and practice that people are more motivated to change when they have safe spaces to develop equity literacy and awareness of the root causes of inequality while also feeling a sense of agency and hope. This requires starting with building trust and a shared sense of purpose, then looking together at disaggregated data from their own context so that they can see the problem. Once people can see the problem with empathy and curiosity, they need access to tools, and evidence-based resources so that they have clarity about next steps and a way to see the impact of their improvement efforts over time.
I believe...
we are at a turning point in history. We will either rise up and transform how we live together on this planet, or we will experience catastrophic political, environmental, and economic failures. We must equip tomorrow's leaders to face this challenge by building inclusive, inspiring learning environments today; learning communities that bring out the very best in every student and every adult who facilitates their learning.
Services
- Public speaking engagements
- Customized interactive workshops and professional learning experiences
- Content editing to improve the impact of your curriculum, website content, marketing materials, or training materials
- Qualitative research
- Research synthesis and report writing
- Product design and UX consulting
Clients
curriculum vitae
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