Profile:

My research interests lie in the construction of community through identity and the use of media texts to facilitate this construction.  Specifically, my publications (the article “In Another Bracket: Trans Acceptance in a Lesbian Utopia,” published in the Journal of Lesbian Studies and the book Performing Queer Female Identity on Screen: A Critical Analysis of Five Recent Films) have investigated the ways in which queer identities are expressed through cinema texts and the venues in which these texts are consumed.  My current project focuses on the use of LGBT film festivals as community-building events.
My interest in and knowledge of media helps me create assignments that help students create connections between our classroom texts and discussions and the media texts they consume in their everyday lives.

Education:

Bowling Green State University, Ph.D. in American Culture Studies, 2006

Minnesota State University, Mankato, Masters of Science in Women’s Studies, 1999

Classes taught for Ethnic Studies:

1010:  Introduction to Ethnic Studies

3010:  Ethnicity in the United States

4850:  Qualitative Research Methods