About Me

I received my BS in Anthropology from UCLA and my PhD in Biological Anthropology from the University of Arizona. I was a Professor of Anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, and Mira Costa College and taught courses in human evolution, human variation, human biology, primate biology and behavior, human life history, and evolutionary medicine.

For the last 13 years, I have worked as a professional science writer for UC Davis and have been a writing consultant for undergraduate and graduate students at Columbia University since 2020.

Helping high school students craft a college admissions essay was a natural extension of my love for teaching and expertise in writing.

My goal is simple—to take the stress and mystery out of writing a college admissions essay, for students and parents.

Students all have a story to share, but are often unsure how to tell it or even if it would work for a college admissions essay. With the growing popularity of AI software, it is more important than ever for students to compose original and compelling essays that admissions counselors genuinely connect with.

I guide students in translating their unique stories into authentic, powerful essays that stand out, transforming the stressful application process into an enjoyable and meaningful experience.