Tell us a little about your career here at VCU:

I am entering my 9th academic year at VCU. I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at the School of Business, and I am also the Executive Director of the Institute for Transformative Leadership. My research is on leadership and mindfulness, and how leaders can create spaces and places of belonging for others and transform cultures to empower others to be their best.

What will be your role and/or your responsibilities as a faculty fellow?

As a Faculty Fellow, I will work predominantly with Deans and other senior level organizational leaders, creating spaces for deep connection and leadership growth, as well as a safe place for candid conversations.

What do you hope to accomplish as a faculty fellow?

I hope to help leaders across our campus feel supported, valued, and that they are able to grow and develop in their roles as they then help support VCU's transformation.

How will you use this experience to further your own career and/or support the development of other faculty?

My passion is supporting and helping develop others through transformative experiences. My hope is that via developing and supporting VCU senior leaders, all faculty, staff, and students experience more supportive transformative leadership at VCU which creates and reinforces a deep culture of care which can permeate all levels of our organization.

What is something most people don't know about you? (i.e., hidden talent)

Most people don't know that I was a high school and college hurdler. I used to be somewhat fast in my day, and I once auditioned for a commercial in which I had to hurdle over a fire hydrant. I didn't end up getting the role and instead it went to a British Olympian.

Tell us a little about your career here at VCU:

I began my career at VCU teaching critical thinking and writing in the Department of Focused Inquiry in 2018 and transitioned to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in 2020. In IDS, I teach interdisciplinary problem solving, build innovative curricular paths for pioneering students and recruit first-time freshmen, transfer students, and non-traditional learners.

What will be your role and/or your responsibilities as a faculty fellow?

I will be working on academic program review.

What do you hope to accomplish as a faculty fellow?

I hope to contribute to academic program review's important role at VCU by studying faculty experiences in the review process and by demystifying and streamlining this process to ensure faculty and, ultimately, student success.

How will you use this experience to further your own career and/or support the development of other faculty?

My hope is that I will be able to use this experience not only to shepherd my program through review, but also to help other faculty members navigate the sometimes onerous, but vital review process

What is your favorite restaurant in Richmond?

Some of my favorite Richmond restaurants include Zorch, Sub Rosa, Y Tu Mamá, and many, many more.

Tell us a little about your career here at VCU

I started in Focused Inquiry at VCU in 2013 and have been there since. Most recently, I spent a year as University College's inaugural Experiential Learning Coordinator. 

What will be your role and/or your responsibilities as a faculty fellow?

I will work largely to examine the current state and needs of service learning collaborations for faculty and community partners.

What do you hope to accomplish as a faculty fellow?

I hope to re-invigorate service learning in the general education curriculum, in particular, and also to practice management skills as well as analytic skills, whether using platforms such as SPSS and Tableau or conducting interviews and focus groups.

How will you use this experience to further your own career and/or support the development of other faculty?

I want to understand what other faculty need in order to succeed in experiential learning and also help clarify and prepare my next best path forward.

What's your favorite thing to do in Richmond?

I like being on the rocks in the river at sunrise.

Tell us a little about your career here at VCU:

I served as the Assistant Chair for the Department of Kinetic Imaging in the School of the Arts since 2015, with a department leadership focus on academic and student affairs. In the fall of 2022, I moved back into the faculty with a heavy focus on teaching.

What will be your role and/or your responsibilities as a faculty fellow?

As a faculty fellow, I will be working closely with Andrew Arroyo, Interim Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and Faye Prichard, Chair of the UUCC, to reshape how the curriculum committees, at all levels, function.

What do you hope to accomplish as a faculty fellow?

I am most fulfilled professionally when I can both teach and have an administrative focus, especially when these two things are topically connected, so this role is a perfect fit for me! I am excited about working with the curriculum committees on this new opportunity to streamline the process for all involved. I am also looking forward to learning more about administration at the university level and making connections with various stakeholders around the larger campus.

How will you use this experience to further your own career and/or support the development of other faculty?

My hope is that this faculty fellow experience, along with my experience in the VCU Leadership Development Program in the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, will set me on a path for future opportunities for improving upon the student experience, both in the classroom and beyond.

What is something most people don't know about you? (i.e., hidden talent)

Some things that most people do not know about me is that I've had grey hair since the 8th grade, I'm afraid of balloons, and I'm obsessed with the grocery store Aldi!

Tell us a little about your career here at VCU:

I came to VCU in 2013 as a doctoral student in the School of Education's Educational Psychology program. I joined the Honors College as Assistant Professor and Student Wellbeing Program Coordinator in 2018. I teach courses for upper-level students including The Psychology of Self and Identity and Qualitative Research Methods. I am also the Co-Chief Advisor for Auctus: VCU's Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship.

What will be your role and/or your responsibilities as a faculty fellow?

As a faculty fellow supporting Academic Affairs and the General Education program, I will work to identify and respond to gaps in support for faculty engagement and development. I will provide logistical support in planning events including symposia and the annual scoring and learning collaborative.

What do you hope to accomplish as a faculty fellow?

I hope to contribute to the creation of a sustainable model of outreach for the general education assessment program to create a shared understanding of VCU’s general education learning goals.

How will you use this experience to further your own career and/or support the development of other faculty?

In this role, I have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about student learning and how learning is evidenced with faculty from a diverse range of disciplines. I can share this ability with students, thereby empowering them to articulate key skills they have learned as they work toward personal and professional goals.

What's your favorite thing to do in Richmond?

My favorite thing to do in Richmond is to attend Virginia Repertory productions at the November Theater. I particularly enjoy musicals! The theater, a beautiful Richmond landmark, is located a short distance from VCU MPC on Broad St and has several very good restaurants within walking distance for a pre or post-show bite.