I write about things I struggle to understand. Much of my writing—like my daily work—focuses on the link between the vulnerability and resilience of people and animals. I am especially interested in stories of hope. Phoenix Zones (The University of Chicago Press, 2018), draws on these themes and shows how people and animals across the globe can help each other recover from trauma and heal—a phenomenon known as the “Phoenix Effect” in healthy environments. Its publication has led to the establishment of the Phoenix Zones Initiative, which uses medical and public health expertise to solve problems for people, animals, and the planet.