State #1 – Ohio (50 States of Mind)

My whole career has been about stories. I've chased stories across the globe, from the campaign trail with the Hillary Clinton campaign to learning how to be a better storyteller at Oxford to driving across America to listen to the stories of Americans in all 50 states. My passion for helping other people tell their stories has never felt more important in our interpersonal or political lives and I believe storytelling is a way to get people to listen. I've had an education, both in the classroom and professionally, that has allowed me to work as a journalist, an artistic collaborator, and a solo writer. Though I've studied both dramatic writing and prose and had plays and musicals off-Broadway and published editorials internationally, stories draw me more than form. I'm always willing to learn and take on a new challenge and help tell stories with authenticity, humor, and lucidity. My work as an associate producer in TV, a teacher, and yes, even a birthday party clown, has allowed me to become a better collaborator, listener, and storyteller and help others to tell their own.