ABOUT ME
I completed my Ph.D. in Social Welfare at UCLA and am currently a Postdoctoral Associate in the College of Education at the University of Florida. My work centers a liberatory praxis that connects my research, teaching, and activism as I work in various collectives to dismantle the institutional conditions that (re)produce violence and trauma throughout communities and schools. My work bridges participatory action research with mixed methods to critically examine dominant frameworks for discussing and addressing violence-related trauma to inform community-driven solutions. My work is informed by my experience as a middle school teacher at a zero-tolerance charter school in Brooklyn and as a certified trauma counselor for survivors of violence in Detroit.
I believe that in order to effectively intervene in and prevent institutional causes of harm research should center community knowledge that leads to collective action. In particular, I have expertise in photovoice, a participatory action research methodology, and am currently evaluating social change outcomes following the use of photovoice projects worldwide.
METHODS
Participatory Action Research
Qualitative Research
Mixed Methods
Survey Research
EDUCATION
PhD
University of California, Los Angeles
Department of Social Welfare
Dissertation: The (re)production of violence and trauma in high schools: How institutional policies and practices influence teacher and staff decision making
May 2022
MSW
Boston University
School of Social Work
Concentration: Community Organizing and Program Planning/Evaluation
May 2014
Learn about the collectives that I am currently collaborating with. Please plug in with any group that interests you! We can always use the help.
Contact me for questions, consultation, or to collaborate on research for your school or community. If you are a student and would like to work on some of my projects please email me with your CV or resume.
