Mo A. (IN A NUTSHELL)

As a Stanford graduate in Psychology and Theatre & Performance Studies, Mo (she/her) is passionate about mental health and ways of healing, especially as it pertains to practices of honoring and connecting to the Earth. She also believes in cultivating emotional and social wellness at a young age in order to empower children to be their best selves. Her research in Psychology at Stanford revolved around young children’s conceptions of identity development and led to collaborations with local elementary school teachers and non-profits around creating resource guides for “identity-safe classrooms” as well as curriculum grounded in social cohesion. Outside of the classroom, she was a leader in communities devoted to early childhood education; these include Bing Nursery School, Flying Treehouse: A Children’s Repertory Theatre and Camp Kesem, a camp dedicated to supporting children impacted by a parent’s cancer. In high school, Mo competed in pageants and developed her winning campaign around positive self concept and healthy body image education for students at her local elementary schools. Mo currently works for GirlVentures, a non-profit based in Oakland that combines outdoor adventure with social emotional learning for adolescent girls and gender non-binary youth. When she’s not hugging trees or working with children, Mo does freelance podcast production and public speaking with a commitment to building a liberated, equitable, and radically inclusive future. Her experience has led to opportunities working for TEDx San Francisco, Radiolab and Patagonia. In her free time, Mo enjoys cloud-watching, rock climbing and making home-made zines. In whatever endeavor she does, Mo finds outlets to synthesize her technical skill set, creative toolkit, and unique experiences to advocate and empower others.