Meet Amy
In 2019, my work as a communication strategist and consultant changed direction…
After handing off our manuscript for Championing Science to our publisher, Roger and I celebrated with a trip to Bhutan. Day six started with a climb up to Tiger’s Nest, a sacred temple in the Himalayan mountains, and ended with a career epiphany. Sitting in a dimly lit room, I was relaxed –in that exhausted after hiking way– listening to speaker explain Buddhist and Bodhisattva concepts of self-mastery and sharing knowledge to enlighten others. Contemplating his words, it hit me. My entire career in industry had prepared me to help young scientists and engineers. I wanted to share my knowledge to enable them to master the habits of clear, confident, and compelling communicators.
It was time to stop consulting and teach.
So how does a former corporate spokesperson for a $10 billion telecommunications giant turned CEO of my own boutique communication consulting firm become an educator? Easy! I fell in love with Roger, a travel-loving climate scientist. He valued my communications expertise highly and had strong skills of his own, built by years of trial and error. He proposed we write a book together to share our time-tested methods for explaining complexity, sending clear messages, winning funding, and collaborating across disciplines.
Science Magazine’s favorable review of Championing Science – Communicating Your Ideas to Decision Makers opened doors for me into the world of STEM PhDs, postdocs, and faculty. When I discovered that most graduate without learning basic communication skills, I understood why they found job interviews, grant pitches, and building support for their work so challenging. I knew I could help. Inspired by that lecture in Bhutan, I am bringing our book to life to equip future innovators and problem solvers with speaking, listening, and influence skills they need to succeed.