I have PhD in Parasitology and a Masters in Epidemiology.  I have done consulting work since moving to East Africa in 1997.

I had a varied career before moving to East Africa. Working in a Harvard medical lab, teaching English in Germany and food safety in Texas.  Since moving to Africa I have had even more wide ranging interests.  Consulting locally as well as helping to run Kisumu International School before it was taken over. and more recently, designing and supervising construction of our home in Arusha Tanzani.  I am nothing if not adaptable and always up for a new challenge. Over the years I have also helped friends with their english scientific publications. I recently started editing professionally and have become more familiar with templates, author guidelines, cover letters and more serious editing. It allows my inner grammar nazi to run wild.

EXPERIENCE

CEO/Administrator/Finance

Africa Soil Information Service New Mexico, USA June 2020-present

Managed company registration, maintain financial records including compiling financial reports, and filing taxes. I am responsible for conducting board meetings, maintain corre-spondence, and editing publications.

Editor – Allied Health

Cactus Communications/Editage       July 2021-present

Remote

Proofreading, editing, and formatting articles as well as composing covering letters for major scientific journals. Experience with most major medical journals’ formatting requirements including templates. Consistent 3.8-4.0 (of a possible 4.0) quality index ratings and frequent “Outstanding” customer feedback responses. This job has broadened my expertise in editing articles on a wide range of topics within the health field, sharpened my attention to detail and honed my ability to meet deadlines.

Consultant, Scalable Sample Curation System

Africa Soil Information Service, Arusha Tanzania    2018

Designed and implemented a storage and inventory system for 25,000 soil samples, including sourcing all materials, coordinating remotely with software developers and supervising and training implementation staff.

Coordinator, Safe Water, Millennium Villages of East Africa

Kisumu, Kenya           2006-2007

Responsible for on-site set up of safe water practices project in Sauri Village Western Kenya, Mbola Tanzania and Ruhira, Uganda. Designed processes to monitor water quality of the wells and springs in each area, including setting up a new laboratory in Kisumu to per-form tests. Monitored water quality in households to assess compliance and uptake of wa-ter quality improvements. Consulted with local women’s groups to ascertain community preferences to maximize uptake of interventions.

Chairman of the Board, Kisumu International School

Kisumu Kenya            2003-2008

Kisumu International School was a parent-run school serving the local and international community in Kisumu. As Chair, along with the Head Teacher, I was responsible for the day to day running of the school including hiring teachers and staff, parent relations and organization of school activities and trips. I also set the budgets, negotiated contracts and raises for teachers and support staff and mediated disputes among the stakeholders. In 2008 I negotiated the purchase of school grounds and the handover of the school to Braeburn Schools Ltd. Nairobi.

Food Safety Instructor, Food Safety Inspection Service, USDA

College Station Texas 1991-1996

Lecturer in Food Safety, Food Microbiology and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) to meat inspectors from around the U.S. attending a 2-month training course.

Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas            1991-1996

Assisted in all aspects of undergraduate courses, including lecturing, preparing, administer-ing and assessing exams. I was also responsible for assisting students and leading field trips to various facilities around Texas.

Editor, Range Management Handbook, GTZ, Berlin Germany        1988-1990

Edited, translated (German to English) and quality control of articles contributed by members of a collaborative team of GTZ and Kenya Ministry of Livestock Development scientists.

English Teacher, Berlitz School of Languages, Berlin Germany      1988-1990

Taught English as a Foreign Language to adult students of all levels with an emphasis on students in the biomedical field.

Histocompatibility Laboratory Technician, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston Massachusetts     1984-1998

Conducted immunogenetic studies of patients being evaluated for bone marrow transplants as well as training visiting doctors in these techniques. I was the primary person in charge of maintaining a reference cell panel for antibody screening to provide tissue matched platelet donors for alloimmunized patients and assisted in the design of a cataloguing and storage system for our reference cell panel.

EDUCATION

PhD Microbiology/Parasitology, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas 2000

MS Epidemiology, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas 1992

BS Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Massachusetts 1983