I am from the Knox area and have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Individual and Family Studies from Penn State-University Park. I earned my PhD in Developmental Psychology from Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey. I taught for many years in Missouri before retiring and moving back to Pennsylvania to join the faculty at Westminster College in 2020.
As a developmental psychologist, I teach courses that investigate aspects of the entire lifespan, including Early Childhood Development, Abnormal Child Development, Adulthood and Aging, and Lifespan Development. I also teach Introduction to Psychology and our research sequence: Research Experiences in Psychology, Critical Thinking and Writing in Psychology, and Senior Psychology Research Experience.
My research and work experiences have focused on all ages from infancy to old age. I have conducted research and assessments of typically and atypically developing infants, children, and adults. I have had training in coding emotional expressions and evaluating preschool environments. My recent research has focused on topics associated with healthy aging, including the benefits of leisure activities for older adults and the effect of memoir writing on wisdom.
In my spare time, I enjoy walking, traveling to new places, listening to live music and spending time with my young adult sons.