As a cultural anthropologist, I teach and research Middle East and North African societies; migration, immigration and globalization; race, ethnicity and gender across cultures; anthropology of food and food justice movements; ethnography of space and place; and cultural research methods.
Regarding university service, as the former Ethnic Studies program director, I collaborated with colleagues to secure the first tenure-line professorship in Ethnic Studies and develop the Ethnic Studies major. During my stint as Anthropology department chair, I worked with colleagues to hire a visiting political anthropologist, undergo an external review of our anthropology program and hire an environmental archaeologist. Most recently, I served on the Task Force on the General Education Requirements.
On a personal note, I lived in 8 different states before arriving in Appleton, Wisconsin to teach at Lawrence. I grew up in an Air Force family with roots in the Deep South, attended college in New England and completed graduate school in the Midwest. A life of travel, schooling and work in the Middle East and Europe has nourished my respect for differences, empathy across cultures, and advocacy for language learning.
Called to serve as Posse 19’s mentor, I look forward to learning more and growing more alongside you!
Welcome to Lawrence!
