NAU Directory

As an applied anthropologist, my research interests intersect directly with my experience as a community organizer. My current research described below, is a collaborative project working to improve the experiences of immigrant students and parents in Flagstaff Schools. I have also recently worked with Dr. Lisa Hardy on a mixed-methods project exploring the social and cultural impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, I have researched the experiences of African refugees in Cape Town, South Africa, where I worked with the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town to help develop a cross-national Women’s Platform. I explore the organizational challenges and life experiences of women attempting to act collectively in a context of increasing xenophobia and restrictive immigration policy. 

At NAU, I facilitate opportunities for students to conduct community-based research and engage locally in issues of immigration. Students in my course on Global Migration take a multi-day field trip to the U.S./Mexico border to discuss issues such as immigration detention, border security, labor issues, migrant deaths, and environmental effects of our current immigration policies.

I am the coordinator for the NAU Community Engagement Minor, which can be combined with any NAU major to give students hands-on skills in democratic action to help bring about change at local, national, and global levels. My courses in the Community Engagement Minor connect students with community organizations for fieldwork experience that puts those skills into action.

I am also a faculty advisor for Community University Public Inquiry, an interdisciplinary. undergraduate research collaboration with Flagstaff organizations. My research pod works with Northern Arizona Interfaith Council, where I previously served as Director of Organizing, to support Immigrant Family Support Teams in Flagstaff schools. This team has developed training for teachers and school staff on barriers and opportunities for immigrant students in accessing post-secondary education. We have also conducted research on language access services in FUSD schools and work with the school district and local schools to implement the resulting recommendations.

My dissertation research focused on faith-based organizing for public school reform in Philadelphia, and I continue to be interested in, and provide support for, community efforts for equity in education.