ABOUT ME
After spending many of my early formative years within a multigenerational household and remaining close with my grandparents throughout adolescence and early adulthood, I set out to understand what makes intergenerational bonds so powerful and how to bolster these unique relationships. I primarily focus on these relationships in informal learning environments, including family and community settings, though I'm also interested in intergenerational interactions within educational contexts.
I am also fascinated by human growth and development throughout the lifespan, with specific interest in learning processes, along with social and psychological well-being. I enjoy learning about these phenomena from and with collaborators, students, and research participants. Extending from and complementing my research interests, I am committed to advancing the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based educational opportunities that support learners across the lifespan through both the translation of scholarly work and the creation of meaningful learning experiences for individuals across all ages and stages of life.
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Outside of my professional research and teaching, you will most likely find me spending time with family and friends, taking my dog Kip for long walks, reading a good book, sitting outside watching birds (& squirrels) come to the feeders in my yard, organizing (and color-coding!) my files and notebooks, playing pickleball, or listening to a podcast.
EDUCATION
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Human Development across the Lifespan​
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Intergenerational Relationships
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Intergenerational Learning Experiences
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Grandfamilies and Grandparent Caregivers
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Healthy Aging
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Informal Learning Environments
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Self-Directed Learning
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Lifelong Learning
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Mixed Methods Research
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Qualitative Methods
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2022
Ph.D., Learning Sciences
Concentration: Human Development across the Lifespan
Dissertation: Examining Intergenerational Relationships in the Family
College of Education | Clemson University
2017
B.A., Language and International Trade (summa cum laude)
Minor: Cultural Anthropology
College of Architecture, Arts, & Humanities | Clemson University