Press about My Research:
"Making Music to Sharpen Aging Brains": Listen to me on Science Friday talk about my research around active music-making and cognitive functioning.
"Music's Effect on the Aging Brain": An article published at Carnegie Mellon University about my work developing in-person and virtual music classes for older adults.
"Making music hits right note with dementia sufferers: Singing or playing an instrument has significant impact on cognitive skills, study shows": The Daily Mail did a lovely article about our systematic review exploring the effects of music-making.
"Dementia: Active music making helps thinking and memory": Medical News Today does a terrific dive into our research on active music-making.
Original Peer-Reviewed Articles:
I developed a digital music program for older adults with cognitive decline during the pandemic, and the program's development has been published in Music and Medicine: https://mmd.iammonline.com/index.php/musmed/article/view/789
And a follow-up -- after we developed our digital music program, we did a trial to see if teenage musicians found it feasible to deliver to older adults with cognitive decline. It has been published in the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/RZFPADZ3GF6I7RWANI4P/full?target=10.1080/15350770.2022.2086958
My systematic review and meta-analysis, which examines the effects of physically participating in music on the cognitive functioning of older adults in the earlier stages of memory loss. It is published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. (Spoiler -- play the drums!)
A study where we examined using marimbas and the skill of reading musical notation, published in the journal Music and Medicine:
mmd.iammonline.com/index.php/musmed/article/view/749
Professional Writing:
I’ve been published in Boston Magazine, Real Simple, Entrepreneur, Pittsburgh Magazine, Pittsburgh Quarterly, PublicSource.org, Consumers Digest, Mountain Sports +Living, Rocky Mountain News, Field & Stream Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, 5280 Magazine, Colorado Biz Magazine, Draft Magazine, Women’s Magazine, Natural Solutions Magazine, Delicious Living, Daily Camera, dirt, and Boulder County Business Report.
I'm an experienced columnist; I wrote the monthly wellness column "Thrive" for Pittsburgh Magazine. Previously, I wrote a daily blog for 5280 Magazine about living an affordable, sustainable life, and before that I wrote a weekly column about night life for Boulder's Daily Camera.
Features
The Audition for Boston Magazine
(corresponding piece on All Things Considered: A Musician and The Audition of His Life.)
Can the Restoration of a Church Lead to the Revival of a Town for Pittsburgh Magazine
Endless Challenges: 48 Remarkable Hours with 8 Pittsburgh Doctors for Pittsburgh Magazine (with Patrick Doyle)
The Newcomer’s Guide to Pittsburgh for Pittsburgh Magazine (with Patrick Doyle, who I should now mention is my husband and that at one point we swore we would never test our marriage by working together and now here we are with two shared bylines.)
Made In Pittsburgh for Pittsburgh Magazine (not with Patrick this time, but written in conjunction with three other writers. Note the wee "jd" to find mine. I also got to learn how to make Mancini's famous twist bread, so that box is checked.)
10 Ways Pittsburgh’s Medical Community is Changing the World for Pittsburgh Magazine
Going it Alone: Low-income single moms struggle to find help, escape judgement for Public Source.
Real Simple
How to Be More Productive
Spirituality and Wellness
Taking 10,000 Steps in Pittsburgh
Do Yoga At Your Desk
Your New Year’s Resolution — To Have Fun
Grow Today, Share Tomorrow
Essays
Pittsburgh Quarterly: Destination Unknown
Spirituality and Health: Out of Her Element
5280 Magazine: By Any Other Name
5280 Magazine: Disconnected
5280 Magazine: Second Semester
5280 Magazine: Smack in the Middle
5280 Magazine: I Wedge Allegiance
Telling Stories: The Accidental Juror
Beer
No Pilsner Left Behind for Mountain Sports & Living
A Very Good Year for Beer for Entrepreneur
Business
Sharing the Micro Wealth – Entrepreneur
Divine Ink – Entrepreneur
Entertainment
Get Arrested — An interview with Tony Hale from Arrested Development
Get Arrested, Part 1
Get Arrested, Part 2
Battle Royale — An interview with Top Chef Hosea Rosenberg
Battle Royale, Part 1
Battle Royale, Part 2
Lifestyle
Burlesque revival, and an interview with Dita Von Teese
Taking it Off Takes Off, Part 1
Taking it Off Takes Off, Part 2
Dumpster Diving
Dumpster Diving, Part 1
Dumpster Diving, Part 2