About

I use my perspective as a first-generation college student and former university administrator to shape my research agenda that pushes theoretical and empirical boundaries for equitable organizational change.

I am an assistant professor of Higher Education at George Mason University located in Northern Virginia. I earned my Ph.D. in Higher Education from the Center for the Study of Higher Education and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where I concentrated in Organizational Behavior and Management with a cognate in Public Policy. I’m committed to reimagining how organizational structures, policies, and practices in organizations can create justice-oriented, equitable experiences and outcomes for all faculty, staff, and students.

My research and teaching are shaped by my experiences as a student and administrator. As a first-generation student from the rural town of Sharpsburg, Maryland of less than 1,000 residents and no stop sign, I was a bit of a “swirler” student. I transferred numerous times and even stopped out to do the Walt Disney World College Program internship before earning my reverse-transfer Associate of Arts in General Studies from Hagerstown Community College, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland College Park, and Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University. In addition, I earned Graduate Certificates in Nonprofit Management from Washington University in St. Louis and Executive Coaching from Southern Methodist University.

My professional experience as a student affairs administrator inspires me to generate rigorous research with practical application. I began my career as the Director of Liggett/Koenig Residential College at Washington University in St. Louis where I worked with affiliated faculty and reorganized The Social Justice Center initiative. I then went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas Texas to project manage the complete transformation of the residential experience into The Residential Commons. As Associate Director of Academic Initiatives & Campus Partnerships, I reported to the Provost, Vice president of Student Affairs, and Dean of Residence Life and recruited the original 11 Faculty-in-Residences while initiating multiple new campus-wide initiatives to increase student engagement, sense of belonging, and retention. During my time at SMU I took a leave of absence to be a Resident Director for Semester at Sea on the Summer 2013 Voyage.

When not studying higher education, I enjoy traveling, escape rooms, discovering new cafes and farmer’s markets, and trying locally-roasted craft coffee. I especially enjoy traveling to Hawai’i, where my maternal grandmother grew up, and I still have deep family roots. I also love to travel to the United Kingdom, which has become a second home to me, both personally and professionally.