What We Do
Miriam Lueck Avery
Research Director
As an anthropologist, Miriam has an overarching interest in how individual and collective choices make the future. Her passion as a forecaster is envisioning futures that inspire people to navigate complex transitions, make resilient communities, and create circumstances in which we all can thrive. She began interning with IFTF in 2003, joined the research staff full time in 2007, and served as a research director working primarily with the Health, Food, and Ten-Year Forecast programs.
As a research director at IFTF, Miriam identifies and evaluates emerging trends and innovations in health and well-being, health care, food, nutrition, and sustainability. She presents forecasts in strategic roadmaps, conferences, panel discussions, and keynote presentations. She also designs group processes that facilitate anticipating the future and making strategic decisions in the present. Her areas of research interest include well-being futures, food futures, human futures, retail and retail alternatives, and participatory foresight and youth leadership. She holds a BA in anthropology from UC Berkeley.