Brief Biography

I am a Wyoming native, and I earned my Bachelor of Science with Honors from the University of Wyoming in Psychology.  I was an active undergraduate researcher in Dr. Narina Nunez’ lab for over two years. I co-authored and presented posters at the Joint Meeting of the Western and Rocky Mountain Psychological Associations and I completed an Honors Thesis examining the effect of elderly victim/witness stereotypes on jurors’ decisions (Law and Human Behavior, 1999, 23 (4), 413-423).

I followed my passion and pursued a doctorate in Developmental Psychology at the University of Utah. I collaborated with Dr. Cecilia Wainryb on research examining children’s and adolescents’ moral reasoning and understandings of diversity. The findings from these studies were presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, the Society for Research on Adolescence, and the Jean Piaget Society, and published in the journals of Child Development, Developmental Psychology, and the British Journal of Developmental Psychology. I defended my dissertation on children’s and adolescents’ understandings of unfairness in May 2002, and worked as an Adjunct Instructor in Psychology at the University of Utah.

I was hired as an Assistant Professor at Weber State in 2003, earned tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2015. I was honored with the Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor award in 2023, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Outstanding Weber Service award in 2025. I typically teach Child Psychology, Adolescent Psychology, Theories of Development, and Psychology and the Media. My research, with Dr. Cade Mansfield at Franklin & Marshall College (Social Development Lab), aims to better understand the processes and outcomes of social and emotional development from childhood through young adulthood. I mentor student work in directed readings and research courses on topics ranging from disorganized attachment to mindfulness and self-compassion. I serve Weber State in a variety of roles (e.g., Advising, Department Peer Review, CSBS Rank and Tenure Committee), but primarily as the Director of General Education responsible for the general education program, including implementation of gen ed revitalization and alignment, adjudication of Gen Ed Attribute Transfer Credit Petitions, leading Gen Ed Council and the Developmental Education Task Force, and supporting First Year Experience and Learning Communities.

On the personal side, my husband, Garth, is a Principal of a thriving architecture firm in Salt Lake City who creates sustainable and energy efficient designs, including our own Lindquist Hall. We are fortunate to love and to be continually challenged by our careers. My daughter, Jules, and son, Liam, are my pride and joy and bring developmental theory to life. As a family, we enjoy travel, skiing, hiking, swim meets, and playing with our dog, Juno. My personal hobbies include reading, yoga, walking, learning languages (including Irish, French, and Spanish), and Irish dancing.