| About Me. . . |
| Where to start? I grew up in N. Swansea, MA, a small town between Providence, RI and Fall River, MA. As a kid I was always reading, writing, or involved with something musical. |
| I started my college education as a journalism major at Syracuse University, but ultimately graduated with a general humanities/social sciences degree, with a minor in women's studies, from what is now U. Mass-Dartmouth. In the subsequent years, I taught hatha yoga, experimented with the performing arts, and eventually returned to graduate school. I finished an M.A. in sociology in 1989 and a Ph.D., also in sociology, in 1997. I adopted vegetarianism in 1985 as both a diet and lifestyle and became a vegan in 1995. |
| I think of myself as a sort of "natural sociologist" because I have also been fascinated (and at times preoccupied) by issues of human interaction, social influence, and human agency. For about 13 years I taught sociology and writing courses in a variety of institutions, including East Tennessee State University, Lynchburg College, St. Lawrence University, and Cornell University. Today, I teach online courses for the University of Maryland University College and primarily work as a freelance academic editor. I'm also a certified hatha yoga instructor and teach at the YMCA of the Northshore. |
| I have been editing academic manuscripts since 1994, when I was working on a co-edited volume, Eating Agendas: Food and Nutrition as Social Problems, with Jeffery Sobal. Two other edited volumes followed, and my first single-authored book, Vegetarianism: Movement or Moment? was published by Temple University Press in April 2002. |
| Over the years, I have moved many times, averaging a major move every 1-2 years before settling in Salem in 2000. In the process I've lost touch with many wonderful people. If you're an old friend who has somehow run across my website, please don't hesitate to contact me! |
| Today I live in the beautiful McIntyre district of Salem, MA with my cats, Sara and Olivia. I enjoy practicing yoga, as well as exploring nature, watching good films, and experimenting with vegetarian cuisine. I also play electric bass in an 80s-inspired rock band, the Existential Detectives! |
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