Maysa Peterson
I have a large format book that contains many of Richard Avedon’s most famous photographs. I reviewed them yesterday and read the accompanying text that describes his method of working.
I was struck by the delight that comes with being noticed and appreciated. The text describes the camera he used, and how he moved his body during a shoot. It describes in detail how he worked with his subjects.
The purpose of the review was to refresh my perspective to prepare for writing this post about Maysa. We can all benefit from being noticed and appreciated, and we can all benefit from doing the noticing.
I have known Maysa for many years. We met when we both worked at Raytheon. I was immediately impressed by her enthusiasm, pleasant manner, high energy, and delightful sense of humor.
She is alert to the wellbeing, or lack thereof, of people around her, and she always takes some action to provide for their needs. Some people categorize this behavior as making waves. I have always applauded it.
I have had considerable contact with Maysa outside of work, especially since Raytheon decided to part ways with me some years ago. I photographed her wedding. I also photographed her family on a separate occasion. I did a series of photographs recently to document the effects of her breast cancer surgery. Revealing one’s wounds to the camera is a daunting task, and she handled it with her characteristic poise and confidence.
Maysa and me.
Maysa conceived the idea of a book featuring people who have courageously faced challenges. The working title is Everyday Heroes. The first concept was that it would focus on people with problems, medical and otherwise. As we talked it occurred to us that facing any major challenge with courage qualifies a person as a hero.
We began to interview people and found the experience rewarding and informative. One of them on the list is her sister Francesca. Francesca suffered an ordeal as the result of having a faulty pacemaker inserted to regulate her heartbeat. The device had faulty leads, and it took some time for the problem to be diagnosed. Adventures happen close to home.
Maysa is a tremendous asset to any organization, and she is currently in the job market. She has a ton of enthusiasm, and she is attuned to the sensitivities of the people she works with. She and I have collaborated on a wide variety of projects and tasks, and it is always a productive, pleasant, and rewarding experience.
Her academic expertise is in computer science and software engineering, and she adjusts wonderfully to conceptual tasks as well, especially those that involve interactions with people. She does not wear you down with details.
She prides herself on solving complex problems with innovative solutions. She says, “I am fearless when it comes to learning a new domain.”
I am frequently delighted to discover how many books we have both read. The overlap of interests pleases me.
I know several qualified people who are available to serve organizations that have high expectations. I offer photography services, and I consult to organizations in the subject areas I deal with in this blog. I also know a talented and very likable executive chef who is available.
You can reach Maysa by email: maysa.peterson@gmail.com.
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