I am the former director of the Humanities (Language, Literature, and Writing) Program at Jamestown Community College (JCC) of the State University of New York and teach developmental and credit-bearing coursework in English, composition, and interdisciplinary studies. After joining JCC in 2010 as the coordinator of Experiential Learning, I added to my initial responsibilities and became the director of Academic Initiatives. In that capacity, I oversaw the college’s experiential learning, honors programming, and undergraduate research initiatives.

I began my bachelor’s degree at Boston College and — after several years spent having a family, working in retail, and owning a small restaurant — completed a degree in English with a minor in Comparative Literature at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in 2006. At the same time, I earned a certificate in African Studies from the University of Pittsburgh at Oakland. In 2010, I earned a master of science degree in Adult Education from Buffalo State College, where I specialized in Community Literacy. In 2016, I completed a graduate certificate in Composition Studies from Indiana University’s East campus.

Institutional service is a passion of mine. Among my many service positions, I have served as the co-chair of both JCC’s Curriculum Committee and its Placement Committee. Additionally, I maintain my involvement in my local campus needs by serving on the retention group of the Catt. County Academic Affairs Initiative, and I have served in various roles on my college’s faculty union. I also volunteer regularly at my local CSA and at my children’s school.

I grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania and currently live in southwestern NY, which is where I was born, and which is about 1.5 hours away from Buffalo, NY. Apart from the “twin tiers” of western NY/PA, I’ve lived in and near Boston, MA, and in Ireland. I have two children, a partner, two grown step-children, a cat, a bearded dragon, and various farm animals. I love to cook and to be outside as much as possible, but I have an enduring and unshakable interest in interior design.