I am an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Mary Washington in the Communication & Digital Studies program. I completed by Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media at North Carolina State University in 2015.
Researching:
My research focuses on family health communication, including how important health beliefs are formed, behaviors and decisions develop, and how these are communicated. In the area of maternal health, I’ve researched topics such as breastfeeding decisions, exercise, and, most recently, how women communicate about birth trauma experiences. Over the past few years, I’ve worked closely with emergency pediatricians to understand a pediatrician’s role in discussing firearm safety with patients. This has led to research and publications regarding predicting factors of including firearm safety in one’s anticipatory guidance and, currently, on parent perceptions of these discussions and intent to follow pediatrician guidance on the topic. Please see my current CV!CV
Teaching:
Since arriving at the University of Mary Washington I have developed courses in Health Communication, Communication and Gender, Public Communication Campaigns, and Communication Research Methods. I’ve also continued to teach important lower level gen ed courses like Public Speaking and Small Group Communication.
Currently, I also serve I serve as the Associate Director in UMW’s Center for Teaching, where I’ve been facilitating groups of faculty discussions and observations across the disciplines.
Please visit my CV link for more information about my curriculum development or see my teaching portfolio links for more on teaching and my teaching philosophy.
Living:
Outside of work, I live with my husband, Josh, our two beautiful and hilarious daughters, Hadley and Jillian, and our rambunctious cat, Starlight. I enjoy reading, cooking, playing video games, and playing piano.
