PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

A motivated and enthusiastic individual, who enjoys problem solving, excels in independent projects, has extensive team work experience, and strong leadership, mentoring, and teaching skills.

EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

University of Massachusetts, Amherst: Amherst, MA and University of Hawaii at Manoa: Honolulu, HI 2004-2008. (Deans List, GPA 3.82/3.94)

Enrolled in a BS program with the self designed major: Sustainable Business and Ethnobotany.  A member of the Commonwealth College Honors Society, the Citizen Scholar Program, the University of Hawaii Ethnobiology Society, the University of Massachusetts Entrepreneurship Initiative, the American Botanical Council, the Natural Products Association, and the Society for Economic Botany.

•    Course Instructor for PLSOILN 296:  Product Development for the Natural Personal Care Industry. Fall 2008
•    Presenter at the annual Society for Economic Botany conference. Summer 2008
•    Citizen Scholar Program Grants: 2007-2009
•    Independent study through the Honors College Entrepreneurship Program. Fall 2007
•    Entrepreneurship Initiative Executive Summery Competition Award. Fall 2007
•    Arts and Science Advisory Council Award for independent research project on the Cape Cod National Seashore. Summer 2007
•    Internship in Sustainable Marketing with Prof. Cynthia Barstow. Spring 2006
•    Research with the Hawaii Oceanographic Time Series. Spring 2005
•    Independent Study in Ethnobotany. Fall 2004

WORK EXPERIENCE

Product Development Project Manager: W.S. Badger Company Inc. Gilsum, NH 2005-2007.
•    Formulated natural skin care products including 9 SKUs that are currently sold internationally.
•    Managed a small team of researchers and formulators.
•    Designed systems, standards, and protocols for the product development department.
•    Conducted market research and helped determine product packaging and branding.
•    Researched and wrote product ingredient copy for print and for the company’s website.

Expedition Co-Leader and Wilderness Educator: Kroka Expeditions. Newfane, VT 2002-2004.
•   Involved in logistical planning and curriculum design.
•   Taught skills in teamwork, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing, and wilderness living.
•   Handled all wilderness medical emergencies

Educator, Professional Sailor, and Medical Officer: Ocean Classroom Foundation. Watch Hill, RI. and Mystic Whaler Cruises.  Mystic, CT.  2001-2004.
•   Crewed on 100’ to 125’ traditionally rigged schooners, sailing throughout the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard.
•   Taught sailing and seamanship to college students during multi-month voyages at sea in the Caribbean, and taught environmental education on the Hudson River to elementary school students.
•   Collected data from water samples for salinity, pH levels, and oxygen content.
•   Handled all shipboard medical emergencies.

Customer Service and Sales: W.S. Badger Company Inc. Gilsum, NH 2002.
•   Conducted sales at national trade-shows.
•   Answered telephones, handled general customer service, and entered data.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Founder and Chair:  UMass Students for Fair Trade RSO. Amherst, MA 2008 – Present.
•   Coordinating, facilitating, and organizing all campus wide fair trade meetings, education, and events.

Steering Committee Member:  Natural Products Association. USA 2008 – Present.
•   Working in collaboration with industry leaders and the Natural Products Association to create an official standard for natural personal care products.

Co-Founder:  The Underwood Group.  Amherst, MA 2007 – Present.
•   Business consulting for the natural personal care products industry.

Steering Committee Member:  Amherst Fair Trade Partnership.  Amherst, MA 2007-2008.
•   Helping to organize and facilitate fair trade events and educating the community about issues of international trade.

Advisory Committee Member:  Citizen Scholar Program.  Amherst, MA 2007- 2008.

Business Advisor: Nuestras Raices. Holyoke, MA 2007.
•   Helped to research and write business plans for community members interested in starting a business. 

Art Teacher: Udavi Elementary School. Auroville, India 2003. 
•   Designed curriculum and taught art classes for 5th through 7th graders.

Farm Assistant: Le Chambre D’Hotes. Toulouse, France 2001.
•   Assisted in running a small farm, including caring for livestock, landscaping, and gardening.
•   Worked in conjunction with the World Wide Organization of Organic Farms (WWOOF).

Child Life Specialist Assistant: Dartmouth Mary Hitchcock Hospital. Lebanon, NH 1998-2001. 
•   Worked with chronic pediatric patients, helping to facilitate fun activities for children.
•   Provided support for the families of patients in intensive care.

SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS

•   Strong leadership and teaching skills under difficult circumstances including at sea and in New England winter camping.

•   Library and on-line journal research proficiency in business and the biological and social sciences.

•   US Coast Guard Merchant Mariners Documents (MMD), certified as an Able Bodied Seaman (AB) with sail endorsement and over 300 days documented sea time aboard traditionally rigged schooners.

•   Emergency Medical Technician with wilderness certification (expired March 2006).

•   Computer skills in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Past, and MAS200.

•   Extensive experience traveling and working throughout 17 different countries around the world.

•   Basic proficiency in Spanish and elementary French language skills.