The path to pleasure
Rachel believes in generating pleasure to reduce suffering. She’s created innovative programs around the world that have been scientifically proven to prevent violence against women while they also improve female sexual agency, increase trust and intimacy, improve emotional regulation and lower levels of depression. Rachel’s work is being scaled by NGOs, governments, corporations and religious institutions across three continents.
Rachel is currently researching and designing for American men, speaking about pleasure and building a company that will help men increase pleasure for women.
Previous work includes 6 years building and leading the design and innovation team at the Airbel Impact Lab, the International Rescue Committee’s innovation unit, the largest in the humanitarian sector, designing the user experience for LinkNYC, the public communications network that brings fast Wifi to millions of New Yorkers, improving medical adherence among high risk pregnant mothers in Kakuma Camp in Kenya, the largest refugee camp in the world, and redesigning the entry experience for the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Rachel was also a professional dancer.
She has a BA from Columbia University and a Masters in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons School of Design.
Experience
Current work includes; building and scaling innovative programs to improve relationships, combat violence and increase pleasure, advising start ups, and raising good humans.
Work on Pleasure
Co-host on Pleasure, The Futures Archive Podcast Summer 2022
Becoming One
Church based program scientifically proven to reduce violence and improve sexual pleasure and consent. Becoming One is one of the most cost effective violence prevention programs in the world. It is currently being scaled to the Church of Uganda’s 11 million members. In partnership with World Vision, Innovations for Poverty Action and International Rescue Committee.
Hablemos Entre Patas (Talk Between the Legs)
(password: HEPconfidential) The first fully digital violence prevention program for men. Currently undergoing a scientific evaluation in Peru to measure violence, sexual consent and pleasure related outcomes. In collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, International Rescue Committee and Innovations for Poverty Action.
Past Experience
Associate Director, Innovation // Airbel Impact Lab / International Rescue Committee // Feb 2016 - April 2022
Senior Strategist // Control Group / Intersection (an Alphabet company) // October 2014 - January 2016
Strategist and Innovation Consultant // Continuum Innovation // October 2012 - October 2014
Professional Dancer, NYC - 2002 - 2012
Education
BA, American Studies Columbia University NYC 2003-2007
MFA, Transdisciplinary Design Parsons, The New School for Design NYC 2010-2012
Reviews from users and collaborators
“She always complained that I was too cold when we were intimate. That I didn’t hug her or show affection. Sometimes I felt bad because I thought I was being affectionate. But by doing all of the exercises I have changed my perspective on affection and we are doing better.
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“I’ve loved working with and learning from Rachel over the years. She’s been a real partner in thinking through how evidence and design, creativity and rigor, come together in our work for greater impact and scale. ”
“It’s like there was a scan to get what was most meaningful and needed for the generation.”
“He has changed for the better, now he is more attentive, more affectionate, more intense… At first we were shy, embarrassed, we would turn off the light and things like that. Now there are no taboos. And in addition to agreeing on when to have intimacy, he has changed, and the sex feels more warm.”
“Last year [before Becoming One] if you didn’t want he would chase you from his bed and even beat you but currently in case you don’t want, he uses different methods to ensure you are also in the mood.”
Contact
