Born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin, I first served in the U.S. Air Force before beginning a career in education. I studied at universities in Wisconsin, Michigan, and California, experiences that deepened my interests in languages, history, religion, and cultural analysis and eventually led to a focus on East Asia, especially Korea. Over the years, I have taught learners of all ages and backgrounds, from kindergarten students to advanced university seminars and elder second-language learners.
I currently teach and research the cultures, histories, religions, and societies of East Asia, past and present, with particular interests in film, religion, and Korea. My courses explore China, Korea, and Japan across time, from classical philosophical and religious traditions to contemporary social issues, media, and cultural change. I am especially interested in how historical ideas and movements continue to shape modern East Asian societies and global conversations about identity, memory, colonialism, and resistance.
I have participated in several Korean Buddhist translation projects, including contributing to the translation of the travel records of the eighth-century monk Hyecho for the Collected Works of Korean Buddhism. I have also translated works by the influential Korean Buddhist monk and writer Beopjeong (법정스님), including May All Beings Be Happy and the essay collection Pure and Fragrant.
