Education

Ph.D. Folklore and Mythology, UCLA, 1998.

Ph.D. Dissertation – “Transforming Folk Beliefs: A Community of Indian Jews in Los Angeles and the Process of Belief.”

M.A. Folklore and Mythology, UCLA, 1993.

B.A. Political Science, UCLA, 1988

Current Postion

I am an Associate Professor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, where I have worked since 1998.  I direct the Cultural Studies program, produce the annual Otis College Storytelling Festival and teach some of the following courses each semester:  Legends, Fairy Tales and Folklore; Vampire Literature and Lore; the New Age and Modern Spiritual Cultures; Searching for Meaning in the Spiritual; Cultural Studies; Anthropology of Religion;  Folk Art; History of Toys; Science Fiction in Literature, Film and Culture; and, Witchcraft in Religion and Society.  I have also taught Introduction to Folklore a number of times at UCLA.  I have been a consultant for Neutrogena’s FACES Folk Art in the Schools Program for several years.  I create and present folk art programming to L.A. area teachers which culminates each year in an exhibition of student art work at the Craft and Folk Art museum.