I’m a historian, writer, and educator interested in how communities confront risk, respond to crisis, and adapt over time. My work centers on Massachusetts, where fires, floods, and Cold War–era planning left lasting marks on both public institutions and the physical landscape. Through archival research, site visits, and public-facing work, I explore how these histories remain embedded in everyday places—and why understanding them matters now.

My background is rooted in public safety and emergency management, and that experience shapes how I approach historical research. I’m especially interested in moments when systems were tested: major fires that led to changes in building codes, floods that reshaped infrastructure and land use, and Cold War preparations designed to preserve continuity under extreme threat. These events often produced long-term consequences that are easy to overlook once the immediate crisis passed.

Much of my work is place-based. I return to the streets, buildings, and landscapes where historic events unfolded—walking downtowns shaped by past fires, standing inside former emergency facilities, or tracing flood impacts across familiar neighborhoods. Seeing these sites as they exist today, and comparing them to archival records and photographs, provides a powerful way to connect past decisions to present conditions. This approach informs my writing, talks, walking tours, and developing digital projects.

I write for both public and academic audiences, and I regularly present at libraries, museums, historical societies, professional programs, and academic conferences. My goal in each setting is the same: to use history to spark curiosity, encourage thoughtful discussion, and offer context for contemporary conversations about preparedness, resilience, and civic responsibility.

This site serves as a central place to share my work, upcoming talks, and publications, and to connect with people interested in history, place, and the long shadow of crisis-driven change.