At the root of my work is a deep orientation toward what it means to care. The word itself comes from cearu—to feel sorrow, concern, to hold something in the heart-mind with weight and attention. The heart, from heorte and cor, has long been understood as the center of feeling, thought, and being—not separate from the mind, but its living core.

And courage, from corage, originally meant to act from the heart: to remain present, to speak truthfully, to stay with what is difficult without turning away. Together, these roots shape a way of working grounded in presence—where care is not simply what is offered, but what is felt; and courage is the quiet act of staying, accompanying, and tending within that shared human experience.

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Biologically, the heart and brain are in constant dialogue. The heart carries its own neural network and sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart, influencing how we perceive and respond. In this sense, the heart helps shape the conditions in which the mind thinks—echoing what language has long held: that feeling and knowing are not separate, but deeply intertwined.

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Alongside Moments Seen, Spirit Felt—held as one in practice—my work continues to unfolds through a layered approach to care across community life, family accompaniment, and creative practice.

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Current Roles

• Care Coordinator, First Congregational Church of West Tisbury

• Family Liaison, Vineyard Havens (in addition to family photography)

• Curator & Designer, Life Energy Foundation

 

Previous Experience

• Outreach Coordinator, Photographer & Teacher — Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School

• Independent Photographer & Educator

• Associate Photographer & Studio Manager — Randi Baird Photography

• Curator & Vice President — Media Voices for Children

• Art Director — Vital Enterprises /Life Energy Arts

 

Training & Formation

My background brings together formal education, interdisciplinary study, and long-term mentorship in the fields of grief, healing, art, and education:

• Spiritualists’ National Union

• End-of-Life Doula Training & Pathways to Practice — INELDA

• Grief Ritual Leadership — Francis Weller

• Energy Healing — Oakbridge Institute

• Mindful Photography for Practitioners — Look Again (UK)

• Decade-long mentorship with Dr. John Diamond, M.D.

 

Academic and creative training includes:

• B.Ed. Primary Education — University of Canberra

• Diploma in Music & Health — Institute for Music & Health

• 4+ years Professional Development: Music Engagement Program — Australian National University

• Cultural Heritage & Collections Management — University of Canberra

• BTEC Diploma in Art & Design — Wimbledon School of Art

 

Additional experience in conservation, framing, and museum work:

• Volunteer Curatorial Assistant — National Museum of Australia

• Apprenticeship in Conservation Picture Framing — Framing Matters (Australia)

• Conservation Framing Training — The Framing School

• Gilding Workshop — Art Gilding Academy

 

Select Clients & Collaborations

• Martha’s Vineyard Hospice & Palliative Care

• West Tisbury Library

• West Tisbury School

• Polly Hill Arboretum

• Penikese Island School

• Island Autism Group

• YMCA

• Vineyard Conservation Society

• Featherstone Arts Center

• Windemere Nursing Home

• MV Center for Living

• Island Elderly Housing

• Slough Farm

• Kingsborough Community College

• …and others across the U.S. and internationally​