I started my doctoral training after adulting and exploring life outside of the ivory tower for 15 years. As a first generation college student, no one modeled the straight-through timeline for me (B.S. - Ph.D. before age 30). For this, I am grateful! My unique path and time-line supported my interests to explore social phenomenon through multiple theoretical lenses, diverse worldviews and lived experience.

As a feminist family scientist, I am interested in shame and social conformity within the context of mothering. What this means is that I critically examine how mothers are socialized towards an idealized version of mothering and how this informs:

• their own self-concept and identity development

• parent-child interactions within the context of race and gender socialization

• their sense of sexual agency

• cycles of social inequity

The long and short of it is, controlling how women mother impacts far more than just the individual!

I am also a dance/movement psychotherapist (I have an M.S. in dance therapy from Pratt Institute), yoga teacher and Pilates instructor. This, along with valuing knowledge built from the ground up, in collaboration with research participants, rather than from the “expert” down, influences how I understand, engage in and explain my research and interact with clients.

Overall, I am interested in connecting dots, exploring complex social issues from a holistic lens and communicating knowledge in ways that are accessible rather than elite.