Experience

This page showcases my broad range of experience.

Explore the projects I’ve done and read in-depth about the roles I’ve held.

View and download my resume here:

VIEW RESUME
 

Digital Communications Specialist

I currently work in Customer Service Communications for MTA New York City Transit. I monitor real-time Subway and Bus service status, then communicate updates in customer-facing language through the MTA’s digital channels. I also assist customers via live chat in the MTA App.

 
 
 

Summer 2025 Europe Work Study

For a couple weeks in early summer 2025, I went on San José State University's France and Spain urban planning work study program. Our curriculum primarily focused on High-Speed Rail station and station area planning, but we also went on tours and saw seminars that covered other various transit topics as well.

Pre-trip analysis assignment of California High-Speed Rail

VIEW ASSIGNMENT
 

Presentation on public outreach for transit mega-projects

I covered mega-project engagement in France, slides 3–41.

VIEW PRESENTATION
 

3 days in Paris

 

Day trip to Strasbourg

 

2 days in Lyon

 

3 days in Barcelona

 

3 days in Madrid

 
 
 

Freelance Writing

I have a published article with the High Speed Rail Alliance, one of the leading advocacy groups for passenger rail in America.

 
 

The Case for a High-Speed Rail Station in East St. Louis

In March 2025, I wrote out HSRA’s proposal for building a new high-speed rail station in East St. Louis.

Read it on their blog:

READ ARTICLE
 
 
 

Communications Manager

The Effective Transit Alliance is a New York-based advocacy group that focuses on technical planning and engineering issues.

From fall 2024 to summer 2025, I managed the social media accounts. I also helped elevate the group’s work on Penn Station to a broader national audience.

 
 

Counteraction Campaign

In light of the chaos the new federal administration and its DOT have unleashed, I wanted to activate ETA’s platform to protect transit in NYC.

There were a lot of confusing (and false) narratives swirling around, so I devised a level-headed social media campaign strategy that informed, educated, and focused on what is most important: effective transit.

Read the proposal I sent to the executive director and presented at an ETA meeting:

READ PROPOSAL
 

Social Media Planning and Management

My main role at ETA was running the social media accounts.

Here are the pillars of the strategy I developed:

  • Provide honest, thoughtful context and analysis when reacting to New York-area transit news in real time, asserting ETA’s role as a thought leader.

  • Create evergreen content based on specific and relevant topics, such as open gangway trains and through-running.

  • Promote the organization’s ideas and analysis by breaking down complex topics from ETA reports into digestible posts.

During my time running the accounts:

+200 followers on X/Twitter

+1,000 followers on Bluesky

 

High Speed Rail Alliance Webinar Appearance

I helped organize for our executive director to appear on the High Speed Rail Alliance’s webinar series to give a presentation on the state of Penn Station and ETA’s work on through-running operations.

The talk, Form Follows Function: Capacity Before Architecture at Penn Station, gives a brief history of America’s busiest rail station, examines the current issues, explores the concept of through-running with references to other countries, and explains ETA’s analysis and proposal for through-running at Penn Station.

Watch it here:

 
 
 

Other Professional Experience

(non-transit related)

Copywriter @ Gallagher

August 2023 - January 2025 // St. Louis, MO & New York, NY

Served as one of two copywriters on a small marketing team for a large insurance broker.

  • Mostly wrote content articles, but also wrote social media posts, emails, and videos.

  • Took initiative beyond my job description to improve client relations and our understanding of target consumers.

  • Helped launch a new content article series for one of our main company clients.

Freelance Researcher @ Hot In The Kitchen

September 2024 - November 2024 // Remote

Gathered data and insights on client target audiences and competitors to inform strategy and creative direction.

  • Organized findings into structured, comprehensive reports; occasionally included recommendations and ideas.

  • Uncovered valuable qualitative and quantitative findings about problems and solutions facing target audiences.

  • Helped the agency succeed in meeting the client's needs and enhancing the business relationship.

Strategist & Copywriter @ AdZou

January 2023 - May 2023 // Columbia, MO

Worked on strategy and copywriting on a team of other Missouri journalism students for final semester capstone project.

  • Created a fully integrated campaign to raise awareness for the USFL (now the UFL).

  • Formulated creative strategy and conceptualized our campaign’s ‘big idea.’ 

  • Brainstormed creative content and marketing tactics with the team's art director.


Campaign Intern @ VMLY&R

January 2023 // New York, NY

Worked on strategy and copywriting on an agency team of interns for a large advertising agency.

  • Conducted research, developed creative strategy, and wrote campaign copy.

  • Created a fully integrated campaign in 9 days of work for Dell Technologies.

  • Presented campaign to Dell marketing executives and VMLY&R agency leaders.

Copywriter Intern @ HughesLeahyKarlovic

May 2022 - June 2022 // St. Louis, MO

Wrote copy and developed creative concepts on an agency team of interns for HLK’s six-week internship program.

  • Conceptualized our ‘big ideas’ with the team’s art director and wrote copy for creative assets.

  • Created campaigns for two HLK clients, one of which was the American Cancer Society.

  • Presented campaigns to clients and agency leaders.

Research & Content Intern @ Bulbshare

January 2022 - April 2022 // London, UK

A 20-hour-per-week internship with a London-based consumer research firm during my study abroad program.

  • Conducted an entire research project—chose topic, built survey, analyzed results, and wrote a full report.

  • Built surveys for Bulbshare’s consumer communities to gather insights to inform strategy for clients.

  • Wrote Google Ads and other content.