I research and write content for museums, classrooms, exhibit designers, and anyone else interested in helping people relate to the past in meaningful and useful ways. My approach results in content that is accurate, clear and easy to understand, and reflects the most recent scholarship.
My favorite metaphor for history characterizes the past as a landscape. We inhabit a tiny corner of that landscape called the present. Much like maps help us relate to the physical world, historical interpretation and education provides people the means to relate to the past.
Areas of Expertise
Content Development – From initial research to final fact-checking, I can create content for your exhibit, lessons, or media production that tells its story clearly and coherently. As a generalist with experience in many areas of US and world history, I can help distill the big idea and support it with refined writing and detailed, accurate research.
Archival Research – With over a decade of experience, I am an efficient and thorough researcher who specializes in deep dives into the archives to find the stories that bring a topic to life. My experience also covers photographs, audio, and film, and I can work with your producers or designers to find the right shots or sounds.
Writing – I have experience writing interpretive text for exhibit labels, media productions, and guided tour scripts, among other formats. I write pieces that clearly express the “big idea” in an audience-appropriate way.
Fact-checking/editing – My broad expertise and advanced training can be put to use in any phase of exhibit, lesson, or media production development to ensure the content is factually correct, assess it for clarity and accuracy of meaning, and provide guidance so that it reflects contemporary scholarship.