About me

line drawing of a person's head with a lightbulb, pencil, ruler, and sparkles to represent design thinking
 

Hi, I'm Pearl! I'm exploring the interplay of culture, cognition, and communication as a means to build a more equitable and inclusive world.

I'm currently available as a consultant and coach. My focus is on accessible, inclusive communication and supporting people through transitions and change.

 

My quest

Line art of 2 sheets of paper and a pencil. The top sheet of paper has several shapes and arrows on it, and is meant to look like a sketch of project plans.
 

In a nutshell: I’m seeking projects where I can help people do things more easily.

I’m most enthusiastic about streamlining those important tasks that we dread or avoid because they’re frustrating or distressing. Many appear linked by a common problem: a lack of clear, compassionate, and accessible information. I care deeply about creating easy-to-use tools and resources knowing that supporting access to information helps us work towards equity.

I also find that cultivating openness, trust, and compassion are vital to delivering sustainable results, whether your focus is on advancing organizational goals or driving social change. I aim to work with others who share this mindset.

Interested in working together? Contact me!

 

Beyond work

Line art of things that could symbolize hobbies, including: a plant, a pan and spatula, a dumbbell, and a screen with a "play" button. In the middle is a clock face.
 

Want to start a conversation with me? Just talk to me about some of the things I enjoy: rock climbing; knitting and other fiber arts; stationery and fountain pens; photography; lockpicking; and food (cooking, eating, and cultural meaning).

I also love thinking about words in all kinds of ways. I'm a member of the American Dialect Society (ADS) and I've been on the ADS New Words Committee for several years. I nominated the word selected “Most Likely to Succeed” 2014 ADS Word of the Year. That word, “salty,” was later written about by language columnist Ben Zimmer:

"At the Word of the Year vote, 'salty' was nominated by Pearl Shavzin, […] who has been tracking its usage in recent years. She noticed its rise in the fighting game community (FGC), a racially diverse subculture of videogaming."

Source: Zimmer, Ben. “A ‘Salty’ Word With a Promising Future,” The Wall Street Journal. 16 January 2015.