I am an associate professor in the Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution in the School of Medicine. I arrived at Hopkins in 2016, after previously holding a faculty position at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), a public teaching-focused institution in Chicago. My research program focuses on mammalian evolution with a particular interest in the evolution of diet, dentition, and ecological niche differentiation. I am proud to serve as AAUP secretary on the GROWTH platform alongside my colleagues, Lisa Siraganian (President), Ahmed Ragab (Vice-President), and Graham Mooney (Treasurer). At this moment when universities are facing attacks on intellectual freedom and research funding is being slashed, I feel it’s critical to organize a strong, united response across departments, divisions, and schools. 

I have over 12 years of academic leadership experience. I am currently course director for the first-year anatomy class for medical and graduate students—a role that has allowed me to work with clinical faculty to deliver a comprehensive anatomy curriculum. I have been a departmental faculty senate representative at both JHU SoM and NEIU—allowing me to participate in the shared governance process. I have also served on committees focusing on curriculum and curricular changes, student success, animal care and use (IACUC), and administrative policy. If elected Secretary, I will be able to draw on these experiences to provide accurate, timely record-keeping and communication to the AAUP membership. 

I also have experience working at unionized campuses both as a faculty member at NEIU (University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100) and while a graduate student adjunct lecturer at the City University of New York (Professional Staff Congress CUNY). At NEIU, I was the departmental union representative for several years including during the Illinois Budget Impasse (2015-2017) when the university was under austerity measures and faculty were furloughed. During this period, my union colleagues and I participated in state-level political advocacy work as well as demonstrations to preserve university funding and safeguard the educational well-being of our students. These experiences taught me the power of organized advocacy, and if elected, I’m committed to strengthening ties between AAUP and other campus workers.

At a national level, I am a founding member of the LGBTQIA+ subcommittee of the Committee on Diversity of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists. We have worked to support LGBTQIA+ scholars and allies by offering workshops on field safety, sponsoring outreach events, and providing informal mentoring for students. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am particularly troubled by the federal government’s attacks on my trans and non-binary colleagues, students, and friends. I’m absolutely committed to advocating for inclusive academic spaces. 

My leadership roles and administrative work have deepened my appreciation for the diverse perspectives of my colleagues and the challenges they encounter. If elected, I will work with Lisa, Ahmed, and Graham to implement the GROWTH platform, respond to the needs of the AAUP membership, and represent the diverse voices of the JHU community.