About me

Email me at kol@accessorydwellingstrategies.com

Professional ADU Experience
I also edit and manage another website about ADUs that deals with ADU policy issues and features an array of ADU projects: accessorydwellings.org. Through my company Accessory Dwelling Strategies LLC, I teach ADU classes for realtors through Earth Advantage, instruct Earth Advantage's ADU Specialist Designation certifcation for realtors, teach an ADU class for homeowners in Portland, as well as an online ADU class for people everywhere, run Portland's city-wide ADU tour, and do ADU related teaching, speaking and consulting for a variety of audiences.


EDUCATION

Harvard Graduate School of Design               
Master in Design Studies - Design and the Environment
Watershed planning, urban and regional planning, transportation planning, GIS. 
Graduated - June, 2004                                                        

Oberlin College                           
B.A in Environmental Studies, Religion
University of Wisconsin’s College Year in Nepal Program (1999-2000) 
Graduated- May, 2001                    
        
Jingshan Xuexiao (Jingshan High School)
Mandarin language study exchange program. Beijing, China.
spring 1995


WORK EXPERIENCE

Accessory Dwelling Strategies 
Owner
January, 2015 to present

Caravan- The Tiny House Hotel
Owner
Summer, 2013 to present

U.S. Forest Service
Public Affairs Specialist for the Pacific Northwest Regional Office
Web communications, public affairs, new media.    
Fall, 2011 to Fall, 2015

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  (2004-2010)
-Pacific Northwest Regional Office
Web collaborations and communications coordinator in EPA's Oregon Operations Office   
summer, 2010

-Public Affairs Specialist
Web lead for the Office of Air and Radiation. Web 2.0 and social media trainer. Communications lead for Climate Protection Partnership Division (ie. Energy Star) and Stratospheric Protection Division (ie. ozone protection). 
winter, 2009 to summer, 2010

-Detail as New Media Analyst to White House New Media team
summer, 2009 

-Program Analyst
Web Infrastructure and Web Content Coordinator in the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds. Policy and Communications team member. Managed contracts and NGO grants.
fall, 2006 to winter, 2009
  
-EPA Research Fellow
Smart Growth team coordinator in the Office of Water. Researched and developed policy about national land use planning and water quality. Coordinated interagency smart growth and stormwater management with federal partners and NGOs. Washington, D.C.
fall, 2004- fall, 2006   

Harvard Planning and Allston Initiative        
GIS Technician  
Performed land use and spatial, demographic analysis using Harvard University database information. Cambridge, MA.                 
summer, 2004

Army Corps of Engineers            
Community Planner
Consulted on the integration of community and environmental planning tactics for engineered water resource management projects. Concord, MA.                   
spring, 2004

Charles River Conservancy             
Project Intern
Authored a transportation master plan for an alternative intersection design along Charles River’s multi-use pathway. Cambridge, MA.        
autumn, 2003

Northwest Regional Outdoor Science School 
Field Instructor, Program Coordinator
Created an instructional curriculum, taught and facilitated educational programs in coastal ecology and marine biology. Portland, OR.
spring, 2002, 2003

Riccharina Foundacion Ecologica                   
Water Quality Surveyor
Remote user survey of rural water source quality. GPS. Cuenca, Ecuador.                             
autumn, 2002
    
World Wildlife Fund                       
Volunteer Researcher
Researched deforestation rates prior to the Kanchenjnga Conservation Area’s parkland designation. Kanchenjnga, Nepal.
spring, 2000


ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Web 2.0 technology, green design, Adobe Dreamweaver, Illustrator, ArcGIS, Wilderness First Responder certification, wilderness leadership, home repair, environmental education, limited Spanish, Chinese, Nepali.