My favorite places to be are on a mountain peak or in the desert sands of the Southwest desert. I am an Alaskan girl and as they say, "Alaska girls: tough like beefsteak!" (There is a funny story behind that one).

 

I am a Professor of Philosophy at Adams State University in Alamosa, CO.  Being from Alaska, and having lived and traveled in the Southwest desert, I am especially delighted to live in the high desert among the beautiful Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains.

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I love to get out and play in whatever form that may be, but also cherish those unique moments of great conversations and the opportunity to relax, sigh, and wonder. I get outdoors as much as possible--running, backpacking, hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, camping, rock climbing, bunjii jumping, jumping the waves in the ocean, and licking glaciers.  I also run rugged mountain races that include climbing up cliffs, sprinting down steep skee, trying not to slip down waterfalls and sheer rock cliffs, and have run around 20 half marathons and one complete marathon.

 

I also love to travel and have traveled to Australia, England, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Venezuela, and other places.  My traveling bucket-list is long, but on the top are Morocco and South America--primarily Patagonia and the high desert in Uruguay.  I love to meet people from around the world and also host world travelers. 

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I have been teaching philosophy and humanities for close to 20 years now.  I specialize in  Century Continental Philosophy, Aesthetics, Feminist Theories, and Trauma Studies.  My current work is on trauma, embodiment, and writing.  (For more on my research, select the tab above.)

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I have also taught English as a Second Language, which was amazing because I have learned so much about other places and cultures through my students. Before getting my doctorate, I worked to arrange foster care for Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) children. It was a very challenging job and was so humbling. 

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