My life experience and work as an ethnographer and educator has brought me to six continents.
As a writer, I seek to ponder more deeply questions about our humanity. My aim is to commercialize my research in Kenya and Uganda to help better understand the uniqueness and shared commonalities amongst all of us across the globe. In my writing, I challenge readers to question their own and the general West’s relationship and understanding of the African continent and its many peoples and force readers to reflect on our shared humanity.
Democratizing Knowledge by Bringing My Research to the Wider Public
My research examines how one fits into the world and ponders how culture, community, and education affect and change who we are and how we interact in the world. My research is based in the unique cultural context of the agropastoralist Karamoja region in Northern Uganda. I explore how the unique education offered by an international congregation of women religious prepares young women to transition out of secondary school into unknown and impending futures. In my work, I investigate how the charism and theological praxis of the international congregation of women religious inspired them to serve in this distinct educational and cultural setting. My work helps understand how this particular type of religious education affects young women as they strive to achieve a sense of well-being in relation to their personal aspirations and maintain connection and participation in their families and cultural community.
Research & Writing
I translate complex anthropological research into compelling storytelling. My PhD thesis explores the paradox of girls' education: excellent schooling can expand aspirations but systemic societal structures fail young women in creating real-world opportunity. I'm now reworking my thesis to bring my work to a broader, mainstream audience and working on essays and long-form articles that bring this research, and the real stories of the 16 young women at the center of my study, to educators, development professionals, and the general public.
Speaking & Teaching
I've taught at universities across the UK, Nigeria, and Uganda. I keynote at educational conferences and speak to schools, organizations, and communities about girls' education, international development, the intersection of faith and learning, and what it means to build bridges across cultures. I've presented to audiences as young as four and as old as... well, anyone who wants to listen.
Educational Leadership
For over 20 years, I've led educational teams and institutions across continents—from the Bronx to Rome to California—in roles ranging from special education teacher to head of school. I've built programs, led faculty, managed operations, and learned that institutional change requires both vision and humility. I bring this practitioner's perspective to everything I do.
My Educational Journey
I earned my PhD in Anthropology of Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. I earned a second Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Oxford. My Master’s fieldwork and dissertation at Oxford introduced me to East African agropastoralists, contemporary debates in global education, international development, and religious education in post-colonial East Africa. In that initial project, I explored through ethnographic methods and writing, one American Catholic missionary orphanage in Kenya that provides safe community living and opportunity to attend school.
My master and doctoral research seeks to construct deeper knowledge and envision a new values debate in the under-researched world of contemporary Catholic education in East Africa. I hold an additional Master’s Degree in Education from Mercy University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin American/Interational Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
My Life in Education
A life-long educator, I have been a proud California independent Head of School, an administrator, and teacher in public, charter, international and independent schools in the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy. My first work outside of earning my Bachelor’s Degree, I was fortunate enough to work for and live with a Catholic congregation of Women Religious, providing social services to marginalized women on the US/Mexican border.
I grew up wanting to change the world. I thought that meant leading institutions, managing teams, implementing programs. And while the humbling leadership roles held were important and very fulfilling, I stepped away because of the quiet yet constant inward call for me to return to my research topics and work with some of the most marginalized girls among us who have every potential but too often lack opportunity and resources. So for this moment, for right now, I am doing the quiet work of listening deeply, asking better questions, and telling stories that help others understand humanity in all its complexity.
That's what I'm doing now. And it feels like coming home.
Learn more about my research and work below…
Fill out the form if you're interested in:
Speaking engagements on girls' education, international development, educational leadership, or research accessibility/democratization
Consulting on educational leadership, girls' education, or international education strategy
Collaboration on research, writing, or educational initiatives
Connection as someone working at the intersection of education, research, and social change
Learning more about my research ...Reach out. I'd love to talk.