I was born in Nashville, Tennessee (and still have much family in the area), but I grew up mainly in Connecticut where my family moved when I was 6.  I attended the University of Hartford graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.  After working for a year at a small law firm in their real estate and estate planning area, I attended law school at Syracuse University graduating cum laude in 2006.  After passing the bar exam in New York state, I worked for the judicial branch in Connecticut for several months.  I then moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University where I obtained my Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Policy in 2011. 

I joined the faculty at Elmira College in 2012.  I teach courses from Introduction to Criminal Justice to Due Process and beyond.