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Writing Objective
I help people live healthier, happier, and more connected lives.
Writing Experience
With a MPH and PhD from Berkeley, a MSW from McGill, and a long career as a social work professor, most of my writing is in the health, wellness and social welfare spaces. I am a sought after writer in the mental health space, writing popular books in mental health - 2 on stress management, and 2 on bipolar disorder - that have led me to being a frequent mental health contributor on KRON4 TV Bay Area and other media. For more than a decade I have authored a blog on Psychology Today (Culture in Mind), and also authored blogs on bipolar disorder (Bipolar-101), and social policy (Provoking Policy) on the blogspot platform. No longer blogging on the blogspot platform, every now and again, I express myself on Medium. Other outlets that have published my work include Thrive Global and Fast Company, and I have had editorials and letters to the editor published in The Economist, Financial Times, Seattle Times, and Modern Healthcare, among others. My writings on diversity/equity/inclusion/belonging is rooted in decades of experience teaching college students and consulting with Fortune 500 companies on culture, race, ethnicity, class and gender in society, the workplace and social work. Lastly, as an academic who gained tenure, I am highly skilled in writing for an academic audience, whether it be abstracts or research papers. You can find a wide range of my work here.
Lifestyle
Almost nine years as a remote worker means that I've been fortunate to be able to freely wander the planet chasing travel deals, exploring cultures, and staying long-term with family and friends across the globe. Side gigs as a model and extra help fund my travels. Because I have lived and worked in Canada, the UK and Jamaica, I can travel flex with 3 passports, in addition to my US residency. Outside is my zen space, especially being in the woods and on the water, so I try to hike and sail as often as I can. My childhood, adolescence and college years were spent playing lots of sports and excelling as a track and field athlete, and so I continue to live a healthy lifestyle that includes fitness and clean eating. I plan to expand my writing topics into the travel and fitness arenas, with a focus on women over 50.
A blog that explores the connection between mental health, culture, and ethnicity
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culture-in-mind
In The Stress Management Workbook, leading stress management and mental wellness expert Dr. Ruth White teaches you how to keep your brain sharp, improve your mind’s response to stress, and develop strategies for minimizing stress.
https://www.amazon.com/Stress-Management-Workbook-stress-Minutes/dp/1939754240/
Five simple ways to reduce the negative impact of stress as you go about living your best life in 2020
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-to-slay-stress-new-year-five-simple-steps/
How managers in social work can create healthier and happier workplaces and workforces that provide the best service to clients by the most engaged and productive staff.
https://socialworkmanager.org/press-blogs/community-voice/14214/
Seeing successful people who manage their mental illness will show that mental illness is not a precursor to disaster nor a barrier to success.
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/why-we-need-role-models-to-destigmatize-mental-illness/
Not getting good sleep on a regular basis is associated with negative health outcomes such as hypertension, stroke, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues. This article shares how to get good sleep when your life is a bit upside down, you are afraid for your health and that of your loved ones, and you’re worried about your employment status.
Thinking critically and writing provocatively about the implications of policy for people, places and politics. No fancy words, no jargon, just the facts, some questions, some answers and a whole lotta rant.
http://provokingpolicy.blogspot.com/
Stigma still strongly affects how mental health is perceived among this group and influences if, and how, it is treated. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, stigma is one of the reasons African-Americans are less likely to seek mental healthcare. To reduce the stigma of mental illness among African-Americans, we need a two-pronged approach: one that focuses on changing perceptions and making culturally competent care more accessible.
Volunteers come with a unique set of management challenges and this piece will explore the good and the bad, and how to make the most of the volunteer/agency relationship. Creating mutually beneficial relationships with volunteers starts with the recruitment process and continues through to good supervision and rewarding good performance.
If you belong to a group that experiences discrimination, oppression, or marginalization, the mundane daily stressors of life can be exacerbated by the micro- and macro-aggressions that can come with that experience. So developing coping strategies that prioritize and protect mental health and well-being is important for African-American self-care and emotional resilience.
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/build-emotional-resilience-race-mental-health-tips/
Collaborate with leadership, and the greater team, to develop a sustainable and enduring plan to grow company as a diverse and equitable workplace, where employees feel that they belong.
Company: Carbon Five - A West Monroe company
I worked there from 11/2020 until now
Social work professor in a leading MSW program. Taught leadership, management, social policy, and program evaluation
Company: University of Southern California
I worked there from 8/2013 until 8/2020
Taught social work and sociology classes to undergraduate students: race/gender/class in the USA, data analysis, research methods, community organizing, social policy
Company: Seattle University
I worked there from 9/2002 until 6/2013
Conducted program evaluation, and provided evaluation technical assistance, for large public health and social welfare community-based programs in California funded by foundations and state government. Wrote/produced evaluation reports.
Company: SRI
I worked there from 10/1997 until 6/2002