I received my B.A. in Social Relations with a Specialization in African American History and Culture from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1999. I earned my M.A. (2002) and my PhD (2008) from the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. I also received research and professional training from the Graduate Fellows Program at the Institute for the Study of Social Change in Berkeley, California (2006-8).
My research interests concentrate on links between social stratification, the actions of state and labor market institutions, and the changing expressions of racialization within American society. My book, Hard Work is not Enough (January, 2017) explores the institutional features of the postindustrial era U.S. labor market that shape access to the employment opportunities available to low-skilled African American women workers. This mixed method study addresses the extent to which their experiences in the labor market have been affected by changes in the jobs they predominately work, in addition to normative shifts in the employment practices used to manage them. At UVM, I teach classes on Race and Ethnic Relations, as well as courses exploring the intersections between race, gender, and work trends within the American labor market. In my spare time, I enjoy working on arts and crafts projects, and playing my clarinet.