I started pursuing a career as a visual storyteller and filmmaker in 2017 and graduated from the University of Oregon’s multimedia journalism master’s program in 2020. Since then, I’ve been pursuing a variety of storytelling projects both within and outside my job as a research program manager at an academic health center in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities through this work, including leading a project called the Power With Anthology: Storytelling for Health Justice. The project, supported by two institutional grants, included the production of six short documentary films and an accompanying toolkit to guide conversations among healthcare workers about topics explored in the films.

My style of visual storytelling is rooted in the principles of documentary filmmaking and ethical journalism, but includes elements of visual poetry, natural sound and music. I’m deeply committed to the relational aspects of documentary film production, and I devote time to building trust with the storytellers and communities I work with. I’ve adapted a Storyteller Bill of Rights that I use as a guiding principle in my work. By partnering with those who’ve experienced injustice I use my skills to highlight and share stories that challenge conventional narratives, evoke feelings of connection and understanding and offer a vision of more humane systems. My main job as a storyteller and filmmaker is to build trusting relationships with individuals and partnerships with communities who have important stories to tell, but whose voices are often ignored or undervalued.