About

I am a cisgender, heterosexual female working to advance social justice through scholarship and to promote life-long cultural competency for the support of underserved students in the college environment. My epistemology centers on feminist and queer theory as I am examine problems through a focus on inequitable structures of power based on gender and sexual identity. Because I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I recognize that my understanding and interpretation of justice experiences of this community is limited and can be flawed. To strive for trustworthiness in this work, it is important that I work as an ally and employ critical scholar friends from this community to hold me accountable. My engagement in this work was fueled by my personal connection to victims of gender-based and sexual identity-based oppression. This expanded to allyship for justice where my intent is to work with members of the LGBTQIA+ community to dismantle systems of oppression and seek empowerment. 

Teaching is a mechanism through which human growth can be fostered within and outside of the classroom. The exchange of knowledge involves reciprocity, modeling, and leading and must embrace diversity in ideas as well as humanity. Teaching in education, more specifically, involves an element of helping and service to others. Teaching is self-rewarding, in that, it allows for my own boundless growth and affords me the opportunity to help others maximize their potential. To be effective, it is my goal to provide a transformative experience for learning, in which I am participative in the process through self-learning and -development. Transformative learning experiences expand beyond the acquisition and mastery of knowledge where the learner gains insight about themselves and their influence on the world around them. Key elements for a transformative learning experience are linking the past, present, and future of higher education to the curriculum; incorporation of global perspectives in the classroom; and use of innovative teaching methodologies. Higher education and student personnel curriculum is unique, in that, its industry is at the doorstep of the classroom. While scientists and mathematicians test their theories and proofs in a laboratory, student personnel scholars hold access to a large and diverse laboratory of their own right- the college environment. The most effective teacher is one that connects what is learned to what is applied, while helping graduate students build a bridge into practice. 

There are several key tenets to consider in maintaining a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. It begins with oneself. First, we must be aware of our own cultural background and bias. What we believe, what we research, and how we engage with others is influenced by our background and implicit bias. Second, we must make a life-long commitment to cultural competency, as it is not a static construct; wherein, we reach a certain threshold and discontinue our growth and learning. Lastly, we must embody a sense of advocacy and work to advance social justice because it is right and necessary.