Biography

I have always loved learning in a structured environment. I was ready to go to kindergarten at 4 years old, and extremely excited to go to Barnard College, Columbia University at 17. At Barnard, I discovered my love of writing and studying culture and social theory. I thrived in the rigorous academic environment, where I studied dance, anthropology, Chinese, and poetry.

After finishing my BA, I spent four years working in New York City, Greece, and Israel. I earned my certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and taught English to people of all ages. I loved sharing my passion for English grammar, its twisty, sometimes nonsensical, and sometimes very satisfying rules and norms. The classroom felt like home, and I wanted to explore teaching in academia.

I completed my PhD in anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. My research focused on a creative community in South China. I used ethnographic practices to learn from people about their lives, dreams, and art. I wrote a dissertation bringing together landscape painting theory, urbanization history, and anthropology of art.

Since completing my PhD, I have worked as a researcher, writer, editor, and artist in a range of settings including Tiktok, Google, Substack, and SFMOMA. All of these roles find me at the intersection of ideas, language, and connecting with other minds.

I love helping the students at AJ Tutoring navigate their coursework and develop the skills necessary to thrive at school, which is a culture and process of its own. Teaching is truly a calling for me, and I find joy in helping my students thrive.

In my free time, I am often hiking with my black lab in the redwoods, practicing yoga, and listening to Beyoncé with my amazing friends. As a native New Yorker, I love to find time to go back and visit.