I have worked over the last decade to address violence against girls and women through counseling, agency- and community-based coordination efforts, and research.

I pursued my PhD in Social Work to focus on family violence and now train students in this area. My research focuses on the prevention and intervention of violence against girls and women by working with boys and men. I aim to engage boys and men to promote their healthy development as individuals, partners, and fathers. OHMAN serves as an important outlet for me to both share my research and inform my research efforts with the most pressing issues faced by advocates, prevention specialists, and community stakeholders in Ohio.

Finally, as a sister, aunt, mother, and community member, I think it is essential to engage boys in healthy masculinity to promote their full development so that they can grow up to be “a man for others” and contribute to an healthier society. Growing up, I have had the fortune to have men who encouraged my understanding of the feminist perspective and engaged in critical dialogue about differences of experiences and impact. Being part of OHMAN helps me to recognize these opportunities for the youth in my life.