About Me
I moved to New York City in 2012 to begin a Fellowship at The Museum of Modern focused on qualitative research and in-gallery participatory experiences. Little did I know how much my life would change, how many challenges I had ahead, and how much healing would occur. Currently, I am the Associate Educator, Visitor Research and Experience in the Learning and Engagement Department at MoMA. I work cross-departmentally on audience research and evaluation, as well as on interpretive resources and participatory experiences at MoMA.
Previously, I worked as the Audience Researcher at the Art Gallery of Ontario, as well as at a few smaller museums and archives before that in various capacities. I completed an MA in Museum Studies at the University of Toronto and have completed studies in Classics: Ancient Art and Archaeology, Anthropology, and Tourism Management Systems. In 2021 I was part of the first cohort to participate in the Embodied Social Justice Certificate program from The Embody Lab.
But all of this career and academic history is only part of who I am. What’s not visible, and what has had a major impact on me and this work, is my own trauma. From early childhood into early adulthood I existed in a volatile and unpredictable household so my nervous system was traumatized very early on. And those experiences made me vulnerable to additional trauma later in life, especially as I had dissociated a lot of my early experiences out of a need for survival. Over the years I unconsciously internalized a lot of my experiences, particularly as a child and growing into a young adult, and that manifested emotionally and physically in a lot of ways, most extensively in my struggles with anorexia from age 8 into my 30s. I did my best during times when I had no support and few resources but I was barely hanging on. When I was finally in a safe-enough place I was able to address the eating disorder with support in residential and partial hospitalization programs, but as I did so I was often flooded by traumatic flashbacks which led to more dissociation. It wasn’t until I met a therapist who recognized the trauma and dissociation, and who I felt seen and supported by, that it felt safe enough to become conscious of and start addressing underlying trauma, slowly, layer after layer. It has been excruciating at times but the joy of meeting and accepting all parts of myself and building a calm and steady sense of self has been worth it. This internal work has helped me connect with others in ways that I didn’t know was possible.
Gaining awareness about my lived experiences, understanding how Complex PTSD and dissociation impact me, and beginning to process and integrate some of that trauma has opened things up for me in difficult but good ways. As a researcher at heart, along the way I dove into research on trauma (including clinical texts, scholarly articles, neuroscience, engaging with mental health practitioners and other people with lived experiences), at first in an effort to understand myself but increasingly to understand trauma’s impact on other people and societal roles. And finally, through my work as an audience researcher in an art museum, actively listening to people, paying attention to their experiences and what they share, and being attuned to visitors and colleagues, has really reinforced for me the need to work in a trauma-informed way. All of this is what led to beginning and growing Artful Practices for Well-Being, an initiative at MoMA that has been a highlight for me and something I’ve poured my experiences, research, and heart into.
I’m interested in the many possibilities museums have to create opportunities for connection, discovery, and meaning-making, as well as the potential for museums to be healing spaces. I believe that reflective practices, slowing down, attunement, and intentionality should be at the heart of all museum work, and that trauma-informed practices and values should be central to museum culture. I feel my purpose is to use my lived experiences, skills as a researcher and strategic thinker, forward thinking and creative nature for good. If any of this resonates with you, interests you, or makes you curious, I hope we can connect.
Two fun facts about me: I’m a self-proclaimed ice cream aficionado (one of the simple joys of being recovered from an eating disorder) and I love exploring places through their ice cream options. I also love Halloween and pumpkins make me so happy that I often begin decorating for the season early in September.