interface
noun
in·ter·face ˈin-tər-ˌfās
1a: the place at which independent and often unrelated systems meet and act on or communicate with each other
the human-machine interface
b: the means by which interaction or communication is achieved at an interface
2: a surface forming a common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases
an oil-water interface
In human-computer interaction, an interface is more than a screen or dashboard. It’s the space where humans and machines meet - where meaning is translated, judgment is exercised, and agency is negotiated.
This has long been my lens. My background in neuroscience and human-computer interfacing taught me that technology is not neutral - it reflects the systems into which it’s deployed, and it shapes us as much as we shape it.
But in today's world, two additional interfaces demand our attention:
The interface between AI and society, where decisions once made by humans are now influenced by algorithms, affecting public trust, labor, governance, and power.
The interface between AI and the environment, where models and data systems shape how we manage ecosystems, allocate resources, and respond to climate change.
These interfaces are dynamic, unstable, and filled with possibility. They are where systems meet - and where futures are forged.
That’s where Interface works, in the liminal space between systems.
“Technology is not neutral - it shapes us as much as we shape it.”
I founded Interface after building the first AI program within a U.S. federal land management agency, where I led strategy and implementation across wildfire response, forest planning, public engagement, and digital modernization.
But the seeds of Interface were planted long before that - in my early work with conservation corps crews, in the field with front-line stewards, and later in the corridors of federal agencies. Across every role, one pattern persisted: technology was outpacing institutions, and the systems responsible for safeguarding people and ecosystems were struggling to evolve.
With a background in human-computer interaction, I’ve always been drawn to the thresholds where human judgment and machine intelligence meet. But my real fascination lies in something broader: how AI reshapes collective intelligence, governance, and culture - and how organizations must reimagine themselves to lead wisely in this shift.
The deeper I worked within government, the more I saw that AI’s promise wasn’t just a technical challenge - it was an organizational one. The disconnect wasn’t due to indifference, but to a fractured interface between technological potential and institutional readiness.
In response, I developed a foresight and workforce analysis that mapped the emerging technologies headed toward the environmental sector - and the profound capacity gaps in policy, process, and people. That work caught the attention of national policy leaders and helped initiate a broader conversation about digital transformation in environmental stewardship.
Interface emerged not just as a consultancy, but as a design studio for the systems between systems - the relational spaces where humans, machines, and ecosystems must co-evolve. It’s a practice rooted in values, shaped by public service, and built to help organizations align their missions with the realities - and responsibilities - of emerging intelligence.
What We Do
Interface helps public, nonprofit, and private mission-aligned organizations prepare for a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
We support leaders and teams as they face questions like:
How do we align AI tools with environmental and ietal values?
How can we govern systems we don't fully control?
What skills will the next generation of public stewards need?
How do we build responsibly—in a time of exponential change?
Our services include:
AI Strategy & Transformation Planning
Responsible AI Governance & Policy Design
Workforce Foresight & AI Literacy Programs
Environmental Tech & Data Integration
Facilitated Research & Systems Storytelling
Each offering is rooted in one or more of the three interfaces we believe matter most:
human ↔ machine, human ↔ environment, and machine ↔ environment.
Philosophy
We believe:
Human-centered technology is essential. Tools should extend—not override—human wisdom.
Process matters more than platforms. AI cannot fix what is misaligned.
Ecological and ethical alignment is foundational. If tech erodes trust or ecosystems, it fails by design.
Restraint is innovation. Sometimes, the most responsible use of AI is minimal or none at all.
Impact
In the first year, Interface has:
Co-designed AI governance frameworks for federal and nonprofit partners
Trained over 1,200 public sector professionals in AI literacy and ethics
Led pilot programs using generative AI to streamline permitting and public engagement
Created a skills taxonomy for land and climate resilience in a digital era
Facilitated strategy design across agencies, funders, and research coalitions
We’ve helped institutions not just adapt to AI, but ask better questions about what it’s for.
Why Now
AI is evolving faster than any technology in human history.
ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just two months—the fastest adoption curve ever recorded (UBS, 2023).
AI capabilities are doubling on major benchmarks every few months (Stanford AI Index, 2024).
AI is already being used to model wildfire spread, detect deforestation, and shape climate finance—often without meaningful oversight (World Economic Forum, 2024).
In the next five years, we will see seismic changes in how governments deliver services, how environmental data is collected, how jobs are restructured, and how communities respond.
In the next twenty, we may redefine what it means to govern, to collaborate, and to know.
We don’t get to pause this transformation.
But we do get to shape its values, its boundaries, and its future.
Vision
Interface is more than a consultancy.
It’s a field-building effort designed to create space for ethical, relational, and regenerative technology in the public and environmental sectors.
We’re building:
Toolkits and templates for AI-aligned policy and planning
Communities of practice around ecological intelligence and digital strategy
Fellowship programs and educational offerings
Partnerships with under-resourced organizations and frontline stewards
Systems thinking tools that support reflection, action, and adaptation
This is the work of interface redesign. And it’s just beginning.
Let’s Begin at the Interface
Reach out to start a conversation.
We're here to help you lead—not follow—through this transformation.