ethos
From creating films to navigating the biology of detoxification, I love putting the pieces together in fun, weird ways—and helping others do the same.
Full CV available upon select request.
01 — PUBLIC SPEAKING & COMEDY
Comedy & Performance: I bring the "Jaja" (haha) to the "Bruja (“Spiritually Intuitive”)." Whether it’s stand-up or keynote speaking, I use humor as a tool for pattern-breaking and somatic relief.
A blend of stand-up, storytelling, cultural observation, and spiritual inquiry.
Selected Appearances
People’s Reset — Mexico
Caroline’s on Broadway — New York City
Comedy Mothership — Austin, Texas
Sunshine Club — Austin, Texas
Mendocino Spiritual Center — California
Training & Development
Upright Citizens Brigade
People’s Improv Theater
HB Studio
Performance Reel
Selected performance clips available upon request.
02 — FILM & MEDIA
FILM & STORYTELLING
Award-Winning Filmmaking: I have spent years as a screenwriter, director, screenwriter, and consultant, crafting narratives that breathe and resonate.
Script & Vision Consulting: I act as an external eye for artists and studios, refining stories until they reach their most potent, authentic form.
On-camera work and written media exploring culture, identity, taboos, unconventional humor, and environmental consciousness.
The Color Wheel (2012)
Co-written by and starring Carlen Altman as JR.
Official selections include Locarno International Film Festival, Viennale, AFI Fest, BAMcinemaFest, Vancouver International Film Festival, and Maryland Film Festival.
EARTH TO CARLEN
A cross-platform experimental comedy project delivering visual, audio, and written transmissions on how to remain human, creative, and awake during the Apocalypse.
Additional Film & Media
Selected interviews, short-form work, and archival clips available on Vimeo, YouTube and IMDB.
03 — CREATIVE VENTURES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & DESIGN
Serial Founder: I have founded and built two companies from the soil up, navigating the messy, beautiful architecture of "business-as-play."
Ecosystem Design: I use my background in design and Environmental Studies to architect brands, spaces, and digital environments that honor human biology and spiritual attunement.
JEWISH ROSARIES™
Founder & Creative Director (2006–2014)
An independent jew-elry line exploring faith, identity, and symbolism through contemporary design.
In 2006, I founded JEWISH ROSARIES™, a jewelry line that explored the intersection of faith, identity, and style. The collection reimagined religious iconography for a new generation, most notably with the creation of the original Jewish Rosary™—a piece designed to be a visible, fashion-forward expression of faith and a starting point for interfaith dialogue.
The concept struck a chord. The line was picked up by international tastemakers like Urban Outfitters and Colette Paris and landed features on The Today Show, ELLE, and in national media.
But as the brand grew, so did my own standards. In 2014, I made the intentional choice to pause the company. I wasn't willing to compromise on my ethics for mass production, nor was I willing to let my creative expression outpace my own evolving spiritual beliefs. It was a decision to walk away from success on my own terms — a lesson that has become central to everything I do today.
1-800-EARTH LLC
Founder (2020–Present)
An Earth-focused apparel and accessories line, consulting firm, lifestyle brand and membership-based platform building infrastructure for ethical production, conscious commerce, and earth-centered media aimed at celebrating “life and active cultures” while preserving nature and our own inner nature.
1-800-EARTH addresses a growing market gap: the fragmentation of humanity, verified organic food, responsibly made goods, and aligned manufacturing networks.
Structured as both an LLC and Private Membership Association, the initiative is developing:
• A vetted membership network of manufacturers and brands including our in-house brand
• Access to verified organic food and responsibly produced goods
• A 1-800-EARTH–Approved™ certification framework
• Scalable infrastructure for regenerative marketplace expansion
Currently in phased development.
04 — INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
Integrative Health & Detoxification: I am certified to look at the literal, biological "sh*t" (toxins, fakeness, and stress) and help restore the body’s natural rhythm.
Spiritual Psychology: I am certified in Spiritual Psychology which aims to bridge the gap between authenticity and conditioning along with business strategy and deep internal inquiry, helping humans navigate "Holy Shifts" in a grounded supportive way..
HOW TO GET YOUR SH*T TOGETHER™
A comedic memoir and ecosystem reframing “getting your sh*t together” as an act of healing and liberation — not conformity.
Rooted in lived experience with neurodivergence, chronic health recovery, spiritual awakening, and late Autism/ADHD discovery, the project examines burnout, alienation, and the invisible pressure to perform in a society that rewards masking and numbing over authenticity and listening within.
Chronicles Carlen’s 3+ year solo roadtrip journey and multi-decade long saga attempting to learn the Ins and Outs of health as a Highly Sensitive/AuDHD person.
Expanding into a book, app, interview series, and community platform.
In development.
04 — CREATIVE & COMMERCIAL client WORK
Creative direction and concept-driven commercial work developed for MTV, Comedy Central, Virgin Mobile and more.
Across broadcast, digital, and print formats, we explore behavior, culture, and consumption through satire, retro aesthetics, and brand-conscious storytelling.
Comedy Central
Automatic Flushing Toilet — Commercial Concept
Concept and copy for a short-form commercial spot built around everyday irritation and observational humor.
Role: Concept Development, Copywriting
Status: Aired on Comedy Central
mtv news
EAT MORE VEGGIES, Y’ALL - Interstitial Commercial
Role: Creative Direction, Concept Design, Copy
A retro Pac-Man–inspired commercial concept reimagining dietary statistics through comedic visual storytelling to inspire young viewers to consume less processed meat products.
2026 Note: Through my own environmental and mental healing journey, I learned that this advertisement was well-intentioned but misleading. We discuss the reasons why - along with my own un-learning journey over at my Substack
Status: Aired on MTV 2015
mtv news
JUSTICE TRAIL - Interstitial Commercial
Role: Creative Direction, Concept, Copy
A retro “Oregon Trail”–inspired commercial and social media post for @MTV marking the legalization of same-sex marriage as a playable cultural milestone.
Status: Aired on MTV and posted to @MTVNews 2015
mtv news
Consumerism Spot (Unreleased Concept)
Role: Creative Direction, Concept, Copy
An unreleased concept developed within MTV News’s commercial framework exploring consumer culture and emotional emptiness through glitch-based visual language.
Status: Unaired
Virgin Mobile
Role: Illustration, Design, Copy
Talk All the Time — Print Campaign Concept
An illustrated campaign concept for Virgin Mobile blending hand-drawn portraiture and character-driven humor.
Featured in Look Look Magazine.
05 — Selected Writing & Dialogues
For the past decade, my work has centered on a recurring question:
What does it truly mean to “get our sh*t together” — individually and collectively?
Through writing and interviews, I examine the intersections of consumer culture, environmental systems, psychological well-being, spirituality, consciousness, and cultural power — exploring how personal consciousness informs public systems.
Both humorous and analytical, these dialogues document an ongoing investigation into ecological responsibility, emotional maturity, and creative leadership.
MTV News
This New App Reveals the Surprising Truth About What Our Grocery Money Really Supports
A reported feature examining how everyday consumer purchases connect to corporate power and political funding, including an interview with the founder of Buycott.
December 2015
Full text available upon request.
Senior Moments
Co-Creator, Writer & Host (2014)
An independent talk series pilot featuring candid conversations with elderly individuals, exploring identity, aging, humor, and cultural change.
Through intergenerational dialogue, the series examines how lived experience shapes modern perspectives on resilience, meaning, and human connection.
Free People (BLDG 25)
Lift Your Spirits
A practical guide to emotional resilience, offering grounded tools for improving mood through behavioral awareness, media boundaries, movement, and intentional mindset shifts.
April 2019
Full text available upon request.
MTV NEWS
In Conversation with Naomi Klein (2015)
Interviewer + Writer
A discussion on climate accountability, corporate responsibility, and the urgency of keeping fossil fuels in the ground.
The conversation explores the political and economic structures driving environmental crisis — and the cultural shifts required to confront them.
Full clip available upon request.