ABOUT

Before entering my doctorate program, I received my Master's in the Anthropology of Travel, Tourism, and Pilgrimage from SOAS, University of London. My Master's thesis was on fanship and embodiment at popular culture places of imagination in London. 

For five years, I was a licensed tour director for experiential learning trips to the Northeast Corridor in the United States. As part of these multi-day tours, I organized custom itineraries and worked closely with the transportation, hospitality, and service industries to facilitate memorable on-tour experiences for tourists. 

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I have earned my PhD in the department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism (RST) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My dissertation research focuses on applying uses and gratifications to liminoid tourism experiences at mass entertainment attractions. I'm an active lecturer within my department and am teaching Leisure and Consumer Culture. I enjoy guest lecturing for other departments and Universities and have previously spoken on the topics of tourism, research and diversity. 

One of my current secondary research project looks at the relationship between Foucault's heterotopias and world heritage sites in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This project extends my research line by drawing connections between high and low popular culture tourism by addressing two different types of ageographic communities (i.e., heritage enthusiasts and fan communities). I'm am also working on several manuscripts. Please see my projects page for details.

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I am also an avid baker and aerialist. 

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