About Me | Home

My teaching, writing, community and consulting work form a tapestry stitched together by a continuous thread I have followed all my life related to notions of home and family, intimacy and connection, art and beauty, social inequalities, social justice, and social change.

Sociologist + Author + Speaker

Sociologist

I am an interdisciplinary sociologist, a feminist sociologist, and a public sociologist – creating and applying sociological insights for public knowledge and for the public good. As a public sociologist, my work is intended to be accessible and relevant to people outside the academy.

Learn About my Teaching with Heart

Author

I am a published writer in academic presses and scholarly journals. I am also a creative nonfiction author and write poetry published in collections, anthologies, and literary magazines. I am frequently cited in the media and am a regular contributor to Psychology Today and Inside Higher Ed.

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Speaker

I am a sought after public speaker on a variety of social issues. I worked as a counselor and clinical supervisor at the first battering intervention program in the United States. I have also served as an expert consultant for attorneys in cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

Learn About my Speaking with Heart

Early Years and Education

Cleveland, Ohio
Born and raised

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Certificate in Women’s Studies

University of Texas-Austin
Master of Arts in Sociology

Brandeis University
Ph.D., Sociology and Joint Master of Arts in Women’s Studies and Sociology

In the Media

I’ve been regularly quoted in national media outlets including CNN, Washington Post, Teen Vogue, US News & World Report, USA Today, Real Simple, Vice News, and Slate.

I have published numerous articles as a public sociologist. Below is a selection of these:

Psychology Today (list of all articles)
Inside Higher Ed (list of all articles)
Teen Vogue
San Francisco Chronicle
Chicago Tribune
The Satirist