I am a third generation Euro-Canadian settler who grew up in Treaty 6 territory (Edmonton region) and now make my home in Treaty 7 territory. Raised on a small farm with a pragmatic view of the world, my career path started with a diploma in Animal Health Technology from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and four years with the Canadian Armed Forces. These influences drove me to pursue a university degree to acquire a deeper understanding of the world.

After a BA in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University, I moved to Saskatoon and obtained a PhD in Cultural Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. Between my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I interned for eight months in Ghana working in international cooperative development. After graduate studies, I held a postdoctoral fellowship with the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. I joined the University of Lethbridge community in 2015.

My research comes from an interest in how cultural and social structures influence human development and behaviour, and a desire to build a more equitable society. I utilize qualitative and arts-based methodologies, typically narrative inquiry and image elicitation, to learn from and share the knowledge and lived experiences of peoples whose voice is not always heard.

In recent years, I have been advancing my artistic practice, primarily in ceramics but more recently in bronze sculpture and painting. I envision future work that integrates artistic expression with social research.