Professional Information

I hold an earned Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Sociology, after completing a B.S. in Child Development and Family Relations, and an M.S. in Sociology, from Brigham Young University. My academic interests are primarily Social Aging, Research Methodology, and Social Gerontology. I'm lead or co-author of 7 peer-reviewed research articles, including a chapter in The Encyclopedia of Sociology ("Social Support"), and have presented my research to local and national audiences. I've held academic positions at several USHE schools, including University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah State University-Eastern (formerly College of Eastern Utah), and Utah Valley University.

I've also taught for Brigham Young University, been administrator and instructor for Broadview University (a for-profit University), and was Faculty Research Fellow/Adjunct Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, where I was honored with the Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award in 1993.

I worked for the State of Utah for several years at the Utah Department of Health in both the Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health Services and the Office of the Executive Director. I have been a Gubernatorial Appointee to both the Governor's Telemedicine Task Force and the Youth Parole Authority. While working for UDOH I developed and taught a Beginning Grantwriting Course that I took to Public Health Districts in rural Utah. I was subsequently invited to partner with the National Libraries of Medicine to take this program to their offices in Region IX. I was also asked to be a grant's reviewer for the National Library of Medicine Network Grants. I've been a grantwriter/consultant for State governmental, quasi-governmental, and municipal agencies, as well as hospitals, universities, and technical colleges.

I left academia for a brief time to serve as the Director of the Sublette County Rural Health Care District in Sublette County, WY. While there I was charged with the development of the District's bureaucratic structure, including, but not limited to: job descriptions, pay scales for both administrative and medical staff, hire/fire protocols, P&P, and all Human Resources functions. I was privileged to work with the SCRHCD Advisory Board to design, build, and staff two state-of-the-art medical clinics, in Pinedale and Marbleton. I was also part of a public/private partnership that built and staffed an ambulance barn with EMS staff at Sand Draw, WY. Sand Draw is a remote area in the Jonah Gas Fields of Sublette County. This project was recognized and awarded by the Governor's Office.

I worked as Dean of Students, Dean of Faculty, Dean of Education, Campus Director, and Director of Career Services for two campuses of Broadview University, one in Layton, UT and in Orem, UT. I also taught classes for BVU whenever possible.

I worked for the Starbuck's company for a few years, as barista, then Shift Supervisor. At one point, the Regional Director tried to recruit me to go into the Leadership Training Program so I could get my own store, but that just wasn't the right thing for me at the time.

I am in my 6th year as a Student Success Adviser at SUU, and I love it! I feel like I have a home at SUU, and I truly look forward to working with my students every day.

I have provided an updated copy of my c.v. below.