About

Writer, Researcher, Coach, and Collaborator in Collective Inquiry

I’m CJ Valasek — a writer, researcher, and coach working at the intersection of critical inquiry, creative practice, and social transformation.

With a Ph.D. and over a decade of experience in community-engaged research, I’ve supported academics, artists, organizers, and institutions as they bring complex ideas to life through writing. My work lives at the edges of disciplines, where care work meets critical theory, where research meets resistance, and where personal voice and political urgency converge.

I offer writing and research coaching for thinkers who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or burned out — and for those ready to take their work to the next level without sacrificing their values, creativity, or wellbeing. Whether you’re developing a thesis/dissertation, a journal article, an op-ed, a book, policy memo, or a report, I can help you clarify your voice, organize your thoughts, and stay grounded in the deeper why behind your work.

I also consult with organizations and collectives on research strategy, storytelling, participatory methods, and ethical communication, no matter the field or specialization.

At the heart of all my work is a belief in collaborative rigor, liberatory imagination, and the right to write in ways that feel true.

When I am not researching, coaching, or consulting, I enjoy playing music as a multi-instrumental solo artist and in collaboration with others. I also enjoy meditation, plant-based cooking, yoga, cycling, writing poetry and political commentary, drawing, learning languages, and spending time with my partner and our two dogs (Eno & Lydia).