I teach and tell stories.
Farmsteaders
Clear-eyed and intimate, Farmsteaders is as much a study of place as it is a study of persistence. Having abandoned a career as a food processing engineer at General Mills, Nick returns home, the prodigal son, and he, his wife Celeste and their young family resurrect his late grandfather’s dairy farm. Heroic, benign and accessible, Nick and Celeste’s meditations on life, legacy, and resistance offer an unexpected voice from a forsaken people – those who grow the food that sustains us. Role: Producer and Additional Cinematography.
Overburden
When an errant spark ignited the methane leaking in the Upper Big Branch mine in 2010, a fireball ripped through miles of underground tunnels in Appalachia’s coal country, killing everything it touched - including 29 men. In the explosion’s aftermath, a right-wing pro-coal activist joins forces with a tree-hugging grandmother to take down the most dangerous coal company in the United States. Role: Director, Cinematography and Editing.
Impact strategies.
Engagement campaigns.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Dedicated to change.
When a teacher is both challenging and caring, students grow. I strive to create an environment that is rich in engagement and exploration. Each course is sculpted to hone industry-specific skills and amplify critical thinking.
I expect students to think critically, act empathetically, challenge old formulas and develop new models. My classroom becomes a fertile ground for professional skill development, leading students to produce compelling, engaging projects.
Kayford Mountain, West Virginia