“I’ve spent my life exploring how memory, story, and psychology shape who we are and how we stay connected.”
You can read the degrees and professional milestones below, but the truth is that this picture of my grandmother’s old fridge — the one she opened a hundred times to pour me a glass of milk and make me a sandwich — probably tells you more about my work than anything else.
I stood in that kitchen doorway so often that the sound of the seal releasing, the cool air escaping, and the small rituals that followed became part of my internal landscape.
Those moments taught me how memory lives in objects and gestures, how meaning settles into the body, and how simple acts of care become emotional anchors.
That fridge showed me what it feels like to be known and tended to.
It taught me how memory travels — through places, routines, and the people who hold us.
That is why my work centers on story, the senses, and connection.
I design experiences and spaces where people can cross their own thresholds, share what they carry, and leave with something stronger
NOW, THE FANCY, EXPANDED VERSION
What if stories weren’t just entertainment, but psychological tools — ways to ease transition, build empathy, and preserve what matters most?
That question has guided my 25-year career as a media psychologist, social gerontologist, and experience designer. I study how memory, emotion, the senses, and story shape identity across the lifespan — and how meaning is carried from one generation to the next.
I hold a PhD in Media Psychology, an MA in Psychology, and a Master of Human Services in Social Gerontology. My background spans aging, mental health, narrative identity, sensory storytelling, and end-of-life work. For decades, I’ve supported individuals, families, and organizations through grief, dementia, legacy, and major life transitions.
I’m the founder of SenStoria, a studio dedicated to memory, meaning, and sensory experience. Our programs, including Storyfeeling, A Place to Remember, AgeLink, and the emerging Inheritance of Meaning, explore how memory and identity move through families, communities, and designed environments.
I also lead the Immersive Experience Psychology (IXP) Lab, where we study how attention, memory, belonging, and emotional connection unfold inside conceptual, sensory, or immersive experiences. Our research blends cognitive science, narrative psychology, and human-centered design to create practical tools for educators, designers, caregivers, and organizations.
My work has taken me across the U.S. and Europe, where I speak and teach on memory, aging, empathy, belonging, and the role of sensory environments in emotional life. My approach is simple: combine science with lived experience, honor the emotional truth in people’s stories, and always start with dignity.
Whether I’m building a sensory toolkit for families, consulting on age-inclusive design, developing intergenerational workshops, or supporting teams through meaning-centered reflection, the belief remains the same:
Memory connects us.
Story sustains us.
Meaning carries us forward.
If you’d like to explore working together through speaking, workshops, consulting, or research, or more, I’d be happy to connect.
