Urban Agriculture, Strategic Communications
Urban Planning Graduate Student
Based in Louisville, Kentucky




KY Master Gardener Certification Program
The Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Office and Jefferson County Master Gardener Association (JCMGA)
Class of 2024
To pair with my involvement in the Shelby Park Community Garden, I am taking this Master Gardener Certification Program to learn how to be the best urban and community gardener I can be. Through this program I am taking 12 weeks of classes followed by volunteer service hours and 10 additional hands on training opportunities at approved project sites within the Jefferson County Extension Office.

Kentucky Young Democrats
2024 Board Member, Communications Director
I am currently the Communications Director for Kentucky Young Democrats as well as a board member to the organization. I help write copy, create graphics and content for social media, as well as help with communications strategy for reaching bigger demographics in Kentucky state politics.

Lucille Leggett Neighborhood Institute
Center for Neighborhoods
2023 Cohort Class
In the fall of 2023, I was a part of the Lucille Leggett Neighborhood Institute, a program by the Center For Neighborhoods nonprofit. We meet weekly and go over topics like land use issues, code enforcement, neighborhood quality of life, working with public officials, planning and zoning, local government agencies, strategic planning and I get to work on a community project so I can better use what I learn to really make a difference where I live.

New Leaders Council Institute, Kentucky Chapter
2023 - Fellow
NLC is s an inclusive leadership development program equipping bright individuals with the skills, network, and confidence they need to champion progress.
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For 6 months, I spent one weekend in a different part of the state where I got to meet and ask questions to local community leaders. These conversations helped me learn about their unique set of challenges, and better understand their solutions and efforts to make change.​
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Capstone Project: How to improve digital communication for Louisville Metro Government to help break the political language barriers that often keeps communities disconnected from the changes that are happening in their neighborhoods.

Shelby Park Neighborhood Association
2020 - Present - Board Member
I became involved with my Neighborhood Association through my previous job at Louisville Vegan Jerky Company (LVJCO). In 2020, LVJCO was in the process of finding a new and permanent headquarters. We found a building that had been abandoned many years ago in Shelby Park, the neighborhood I moved into the year prior.
I became the liaison and helped organize a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) between SPNA and LVJCO. A part of the CBA was to donate $10,000 to the SPNA and help hire within the neighborhood.
I am an SPNA advocate for 2-way conversions of main streets running through the neighborhood, and tree planting to reverse Louisville's urban heat island.

Jefferson First Street Corridor Project
Summer 2020 - Digital Artist
As a digital artist, I collaborated with Hester Street, Kale & Flax, and UberGreen Spaces & Homes on a placekeeping initiative at Jefferson Community + Technical College (JCTC). The project aimed to activate campus spaces, inspire creativity, and foster community connections and belonging as JCTC implemented a new campus Master Plan. The initiative involved diverse stakeholders, including students, faculty, local artists, community-based partners, local businesses, residents, unhoused individuals, and Louisville Metro Government.
Our efforts focused on showcasing student talent and creating spaces for students and the community to work, gather, and play along JCTC's First Street corridor. This initiative allowed JCTC to lead in testing and piloting innovation, benefitting the college and the entire Louisville community. I won an artist grant for this project.

Canopy
July 2020 - Digital Artist Fundraiser
The 27 Campaign Resource Guide, created in response to community outcry over representation in businesses throughout the state, clearly outlines best practices and procedures to create a more racially just and responsible company.
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As a part of the 27 Campaign, I also designed a T-shirt where the proceeds were Companies need to step up and bring about the transformational change that communities and customers are demanding. By participating in the 27 Campaign you are making a strong statement against racism in support of greater equity and justice for your Black employees and business businesses.

Shelby Park Community Garden
2019 - Present - Property Manager + Director of Special Projects
My primary roles are garden maintenance and community engagement work. I'm currently assisting on grant writing to help fund educational classes that we will host at the community garden in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, as well as fundraising to help support a meditation area of the garden for anyone in the neighborhood to use.
Another SPCG gardener and myself are working on seasonal presentations to bring to school classrooms around the Shelby Park neighborhood. Our goal with these presentations is to better connect children with the nature and green space around them, especially since we live in such an urban part of the city. We want more children and adults to feel empowered to grow their own produce and flowers.

Distracted Driving Summit: States Address Cell-Phone Dangers
2009 - Panel Speaker
I was in a car wreck in 2008 due to texting and driving, which led me to submitting my story to Seventeen Magazine later that year. My story was a feature article in a summer 2009 issue of Seventeen Magazine.
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I was invited by Seventeen Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Ann Shoket to speak on a panel in front of senior transportation officials, elected officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, private sector representatives and academic professors to encourage the passing of texting and driving laws. I continued to use my voice to speak at state and city levels, including advocating with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's “Distracted Driving is Deadly Driving” campaign.