USC Comedy at the School of Cinematic Arts is a strong program started by comedy legend Barnet Kellman. I helped him for 2 years as he built it. I often led his production classes while he focused on launching this new department. It was exciting to see comedy being taking seriously, bringing in talent across the board, and working with Barnet taught me how to start a program from scratch. As a teaching fellow, I worked with over 100 students, using my MFA early in my career.

As an undergraduate at Harvard, I focused on animation. I studied with Wendy Tilby, a well-known Canadian animator, and learned a lot about frame-by-frame filmmaking, flow, and the vibe of experimental work. By my senior year, I was mentoring students in the Visual and Environmental Studies department.

The Episcopal School of Los Angeles hired me to create and run their film program. I made lesson plans, helped teachers, built a new movie theater, and set up regular movie events. This let me use my film experience in education, which I care deeply about. Here are some examples of my work at the school.

Working as a teenager in Namibia gave me my first experience in teaching and left a strong impression on me—I knew I wanted to include it in my future. The school was near the border with war-torn Angola, and I had to teach all subjects to every class because they needed support. The students were children of patients from the nearby hospital, and most patients were victims of the civil war in Angola. This experience was unforgettable, and I’m very grateful for it.