ABOUT

I’m a cultural anthropologist (PhD, Princeton) and creative with experience across technology, media, and philanthropy. My specialty is ethnography—interviews, surveys, and real-world observation—for understanding what makes people tick, online and offline.

I combine rigorous research with narrative strategy—helping organizations navigate cultural and technological change and engage the audiences who matter most.

Recent projects include impact strategy and storytelling for funders responding to cultural shifts, user research for product teams engineering AI technology, and creative development with media producers building audiences through new platforms.

Clients include Doris Duke Foundation, Sundance Institute X Adobe, Americans for the Arts, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project X Gabo Foundation, and Inside Philanthropy.

Previously, I led user research at Intel, designed communications at Wondros, and wrote In Chocolate We Trust (University of Pennsylvania Press), a cultural study of philanthropy in an iconic American company town.

SERVICES

I work with leaders responsible for products, programs, and partnerships in moments of change—always starting with deep listening. Whether you’re building something new or revising your strategy, I help you chart a clear path forward.

• In-Depth Research & Listening
  Candid conversations and timely analysis that surface real needs, motivations, and perspectives—often from voices you haven’t heard.

• Impact Evaluation
  Accurate, actionable feedback to help you see what’s working (and what isn’t), adapt quickly, and show results.

• Design Insights
  Practical recommendations for what to do next, grounded in what people really need and want.

• Messaging & Storytelling
  Your mission comes to life through short films and impact stories centered on lived experience.

• Embedded Advisory
  A learning partner to support ongoing strategy and facilitation—so you can move forward with confidence.

Explore a few of my favorite case studies to see how these services have made a real-world impact.

CASE STUDIES

I. How does diverse talent break through?

Doris Duke Foundation – Building Bridges Impact Evaluation & Film

• Challenge: Accelerate the pipeline for U.S. Muslim storytellers in film and media—building a diverse, supportive ecosystem despite significant barriers.

• Approach: Designed and led a mixed-methods impact evaluation (interviews, surveys, in-person conversation); synthesized feedback from fellows, grantees, and leaders; produced an “impact story” film for Sundance Film Festival; and facilitated strategic conversations to inform future grantmaking.

• Impact: Building Bridges is now a nationally recognized model for artist fellowships, supporting 60+ U.S. Muslim storytellers. The evaluation & film directly influenced continued funding, new initiatives, and broader field collaboration.

II. How can new tools empower creators?

Intel – “Creator” Laptops User Research

• Challenge: Compete with MacBooks by designing a new laptop for professional 3D creators—artists and designers with demanding workflows.

• Approach: Led a six-month process of stakeholder alignment, in-depth user interviews, and workflow mapping; developed personas and actionable insights; ran ideation workshops and validated concepts with real users; collaborated across engineering, design, and marketing.

• Impact: Recommendations for new features—including advanced collaboration tools—were adopted into Intel’s product roadmap. The research shaped specs for faster rendering and a better user experience, centering authentic creator needs in Intel’s innovation strategy.

III. How will tech help veterans in need?

Private Philanthropist – At-Risk Veterans Research

• Challenge: Assess the true potential—and limitations—of a standalone app for at-risk U.S. veterans, and identify more effective, tech-enabled interventions.

• Approach: Led ethnographic interviews with veterans and service providers across Los Angeles; mapped service networks and user needs; developed personas and synthesized actionable insights.

• Impact: Found that the most at-risk veterans were least likely to benefit from an app alone. Recommended real-world interventions—a physical resource kit and peer-led “Civilian Bootcamp” video curriculum—that prioritized trust, inclusion, and hands-on support. The project shifted funding strategy and provided a new blueprint for reaching those most in need.

IV. How does a city remember—together?

City of West Hollywood – AIDS Monument Storytelling & Engagement

• Challenge: Ensure the new AIDS Monument reflects the diversity and lived experience of those impacted by HIV/AIDS, and invites participation across generations.

• Approach: Led 30+ in-depth interviews with survivors, activists, city officials, and artists; produced and curated filmed stories for the project’s digital archive; conducted research and surveys to guide inclusive design and programming.

• Impact: Delivered actionable recommendations that shaped the monument’s design and city programming, resulting in broad buy-in and engagement. The filmed stories became a lasting community resource, and the project is now cited as a model for public storytelling and inclusive commemoration in Los Angeles and beyond.

V. Will philanthropy unite a community—or divide it?

Hershey, Pennsylvania - In Chocolate We Trust (Book, University of Pennsylvania Press)

• Challenge: Examine how Hershey, Pennsylvania—a company town shaped by corporate philanthropy—navigates shifting identity, legacy, and belonging as its core institutions evolve.

• Approach: Conducted a year of embedded ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and archival research; mapped the influence of the Hershey Trust, company, and school on civic life; crafted a narrative connecting local experience to national debates on philanthropy and power.

• Impact: Published In Chocolate We Trust in 2018, praised by Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. The book now sparks conversation among leaders on the challenges and possibilities of “perpetual” philanthropies.

Praise in the Press for In Chocolate We Trust

"Native son and Princeton-trained anthropologist Peter Kurie examines the community, the company, and its history. . . . In Chocolate We Trust tells a great story, pertinent and fascinating."—Washington Post

“He spent a year studying the tribal culture of Hershey as an example of the ultimate 'company town.' In some ways, the picture that emerges, of a company dedicated to selling happiness in a 210-calorie bar, reinforces the mythology of benevolent capitalism."—Financial Times

“Kurie’s sensitivity to, and affection for, the various community subgroups often shine through… [He] demonstrates how a philanthropic institution can reflect a founder’s vision while shaping and being shaped by the community.” —Wall Street Journal

CONTACT

Let’s talk about what you’re working on and how I can help.