Hello. I am an assistant professor, teaching public history at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. I am enjoying settling in to Boone and getting to know the community here as I supervise the graduate concentration in historic preservation.
I teach courses on public history, historic preservation, US history (particularly 20th century social and cultural movements), history and film, and digital history.
In May 2012, I completed my PhD in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University where I held the Provost’s Writing Fellowship and was a resident at the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation. My dissertation, “From Sacred to Secular: the Adaptive Reuse of America’s Religious Buildings” evaluated four case studies from across the country. Particularly I asked how each connected to the cultural history of their neighborhoods and how this contributes to the long-term preservation and sustainability of these resources. I am now working on a manuscript based on this research.
I earned an MA in Archaeology at the University of Reading in 2005 where I researched questions of gender and archaeology, public art, and architecture and community formation. I continue my involvement in archaeology whenever I can. In 2009 I spent six weeks in Egypt with the Yale Monastic Archaeology Project. As Area Archaeologist I mentored six students in the methods and practices of archaeology. During the Spring of 2011, I worked on the South Abydos Mastabas Project as Excavation Supervisor and Lab Director, once again mentoring students.
I have had the opportunity to work on various exciting projects: historic furnishings reports, historic battlefield plans, architectural and landscape inventories, museum family guides, exhibit preparation, and nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Some of that work is presented on this website. I continue working with communities now with my own students, and that work is being added to the site as it is made publicly available.
I grew up just east of Nashville, TN and in my spare time I enjoy reading books for fun, discussing pop culture, watching Nashville Predators hockey, spending time with family and friends, and just watching our two cats be ridiculous.
Please have a look around and feel free to provide feedback or to contact me.
