By: Kate Sarmiento
Most people believe they’re self-aware, and researchers estimate that only 10 to 15 percent actually are (Source: Harvard Business Review, 2018). That gap is where Anna Rosa Parker does her work as the founder of EVOKE Your Story™, a methodology that brings together storytelling, neuroscience, and Heart Intelligence to help people understand the stories shaping their lives.
Her route there took some unexpected turns. She grew up in Iceland, competed in aerobics, and worked as an instructor before going to the University of Washington to study theatre and playwriting. After that, she moved to New York, where she worked in branding and storytelling for hospitality, wellness, fashion, and lifestyle companies. Today, she divides her time between New York City and Reykjavík. So, if you’re a creative, a founder, a leader, or someone in the middle of a big life change, her path is a good way to see what EVOKE is about, since every stop along the way contributed something to the methodology. It makes sense to take those stops in order, so the story starts in Iceland.
A Competitive Aerobics Athlete Walks Into a Playwriting Class
Anna Rosa competed in aerobics and worked as an instructor in Iceland before studying theatre and playwriting at the University of Washington. It’s an unusual pair of beginnings, and the second one left a lasting mark on EVOKE because the toolkit she learned in theatre is still part of the methodology. Actors and playwrights work with a handful of core ideas. An objective is what a character wants, an obstacle is whatever stands in the way, and given circumstances are the facts of the character’s situation. Status describes where a character sits in a room, and subtext is the meaning running underneath the dialogue.
All of those ideas help answer one question about a character: Why does this person do what they do? EVOKE asks that same question about real people, and the first people Anna Rosa explored it with were actors.
Psychologists have a name for the stories that help answer that question. They call it narrative identity, meaning the evolving life story a person carries around to explain who they are and how they got there (Source: Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture, 2019). The same paper also looks at how culture shapes the stories people tell about themselves, and that topic is a natural fit for someone whose own story spans Iceland and the United States. Anna Rosa’s theatre training gave her practical ways to work with those stories..
Luxury Hotels Have Personalities, and Somebody Has to Write Them
After theatre came marketing, beginning with Anna Rosa’s first marketing job at Nordstrom’s corporate headquarters in Seattle. She later moved to New York, where she developed brand voice and storytelling for hospitality, wellness, fashion, and lifestyle brands, including Baccarat Hotel & Residences, 1 Hotels, Sóley Organics, Furtuna Skin, and EleVen by Venus Williams.
Writing a brand voice has a lot in common with writing a character. A writer needs to know what the brand wants and how it sounds when it talks, and an actor asks those same questions about a role. You can ask them about yourself too, and the self-awareness numbers from the start of this article are a good reason to double-check your answers before you trust them.
Stories can also have an emotional and physiological effect, which helps explain why a good brand story sticks with people. Research has explored how compelling narratives may influence emotional responses, empathy, and social connection (Source: Cerebrum, 2015). If a story can have that kind of impact on a stranger, the one you tell yourself about your own life deserves a closer look.
Actors Asked for a Map, and Then Everyone Else Did
That closer look is where EVOKE comes in. Anna Rosa initially developed it through her work with actors, and it grew out of their experiences navigating identity, purpose, and reinvention, with a focus on life and career offstage. As the methodology developed, leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations began asking, “Can you do this for us too?”
The answer was yes, and it led to the executive and team programs. EVOKE’s primary audience of individuals is adults between 30 and 65, with a strong focus on women, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Women navigating midlife transitions, including menopause or the empty nest stage, are part of that group, since many are exploring who they are and what they want next. Organizations hire EVOKE as well, including founders, executives, HR teams, and universities, and the company gives keynotes and runs workshops at conferences in the United States and abroad. Its main markets are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Iceland.
Across all of these groups, the work centers on the stories behind how a person leads, communicates, and makes decisions. Participants get practical tools for building self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and authentic leadership. Those tools draw on storytelling and neuroscience, and Heart Intelligence is the third piece. Anna Rosa is also a certified HeartMath® Coach, and research on the heart and brain explores how the two interact, including associations between heart rhythm patterns, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance (Source: Integral Review, 2009).
Teaching has become part of the picture as well. Anna Rosa has worked with students at New York University since 2022, helping emerging artists explore narrative, professional communication, and creative identity. Her husband, Shanga Parker, is a Full Arts Professor at NYU, and in 2023 he joined EVOKE as co-founder, bringing his expertise in storytelling, emotional intelligence, and creative practice. Living between New York City and Reykjavík also gives Anna Rosa a cross-cultural perspective on all of this work.
A single belief runs through the whole company, which is that people often have more insight and possibility within them than they realize. EVOKE provides a framework to help bring those insights into focus and turn them into meaningful action. Curiosity, courage, connection, and creativity guide the work, and the mission is to help people recognize the stories that have shaped their lives, gain clarity about what matters to them, and move forward with intention.
Ready to Meet the Story You Have Been Carrying?
So where could you start? Anna Rosa’s path suggests a simple first step, which is to notice the story shaping how you lead, communicate, and make decisions. That takes some curiosity and a little courage, and it helps to have a guide. Asking the character question about your own life is a good opening: Why does this person do what they do?
The EVOKE Your Story™ online course is a good place to begin; VIP coaching offers one-on-one work for individuals, and executive training brings the approach to leaders and teams. Visit EVOKE to see which option matches where you are right now.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or professional advice. Readers should consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to their situation.
