For individuals
You already know your data is going somewhere. Most people do. The real question is what to actually do about it — without reading forty hours of security blogs or pretending you're going to switch to Linux this weekend.
Start here — free
A short guide covering the questions I ask before I install anything, sign up for any service, agree to a device's terms, or hand over information someone's asking for.
No jargon. No fear-mongering. No "just use a VPN" energy.
When you want more than a guide
A focused one-on-one session to figure out where your actual privacy risks are — not the generic ones, the ones specific to how you use your phone, your accounts, and the tools you already depend on.
You walk away with three to five concrete things to do, in an order that makes sense for your life, plus a written summary you can come back to.
$175 · 50 minutes
Pay what you can — sliding scale starts at $40, no questions asked. Email zam@zamdeshields.org before booking.
Who you're talking to
I'm Zam DeShields. I'm a Chickasaw Nation citizen and former tribal planning director who ran Microsoft's Indigenous Program Office across four countries. I approach privacy from a data sovereignty and harm-reduction lens — shaped by tribal governance, disability justice, and the reality that for trans people, Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities, privacy is often survival.
I'm currently a graduate student in Rehabilitation Counseling at Western Washington University, and I run an independent consulting practice focused on AI ethics and data privacy.
Read more about Zam →Common questions
No. This is specifically designed for people who aren't. If you can describe the apps you use and how you use them, that's enough.
Sliding scale starts at $40, no questions asked. Email me at zam@zamdeshields.org before booking and we'll figure it out. I'd rather have you in the room at a lower rate than not at all.
A plain-language read on where your biggest risks are, three to five concrete things to do, and a written one-page summary emailed within 48 hours of our session.
Individuals. If you run an organization and want training for your team, that's a different kind of engagement — take a look at my organizational services or get in touch directly.
Yes. Email me and I'll send you a gift link you can forward. Some of my favorite sessions have been birthday or holiday gifts to family members who'd been meaning to "get around to" their digital privacy for years.
A 90-minute session where we configure AI tools for your actual workflow — privately and securely. Booking coming soon.