Ask a Practitioner Making a Living as a Consultant

Shirley Buzzard worked as a professional consultant and owner of a small woman-owned company for 20 years. She has worked in over 70 countries, primarily doing project evaluations, training, and small-business development for women. She is a graduate of American University and has an MSc in Community Development, an M.A. in physical anthropology, and an undergraduate degree in psychology. Susan Mazur-Stommen is an anthropologist who has researched culture, behavior, and sustainability for over twenty years. Dr. Mazur-Stommen is a sought-after keynote speaker on behavior and energy issues. She is a well-known researcher and author on energy and the environment. Dr. Mazur-Stommen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from San Jose State University. She received both a Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Riverside. She is a Fulbright recipient and a former Smithsonian Institution fellow. She was the co-chair for the Behavior, Energy, and Climate Change conference from 2011-2014, and served as the Chair on the American Anthropology Association’s Members’ Programmatic, Advisory, and Advocacy Committee (MPAAC) from 2017-2023. Dr. Mazur-Stommen founded Indicia Consulting LLC in 2006 to bring ethnography to a wider audience. Indicia Consulting defines its primary purpose as an increase in sustainability by using proven social science insights and methods. As the principal of Indicia Consulting, Susan conducts research for a variety of clients, including state governments, federal agencies, corporations, and NGOs. Indicia Consulting is a mission-driven social enterprise which defines its primary purpose as an increase in sustainability and subsequent improvement in the natural environment through engaging behavior through proven social science insights and methods. WAPA's mission is to promote and enhance the application of anthropological perspectives and skills to the problems of contemporary communities by: providing practical and educational services to Washington area anthropologists through programs, workshops, conferences and collaborations in classrooms, etc.; developing better communications between the anthropological community and the general public; supporting the development of aspiring anthropologists; and maintaining a network of anthropologists and others interested in the applied social sciences through the above activities and social occasions for professional networking, friendship and fun.