When asked where I’m from, I often say: many places, including North Carolina, France, and the Chicagoland area. I have also spent time in Italy and Morocco. Each place I have lived has shaped my love of languages, literature, and creative writing. I consider myself a lifelong learner, which is evidenced by my experience as a student and teacher at various institutions. I earned a B.A. in Italian and English at Mount Holyoke College (2003) and a “Master 1” in Comparative Literature from the Université de Nantes (2005). I began teaching at the university level at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005 where I also earned a Masters in Comparative Literature. In 2014, I completed my PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor where I specialized in twentieth-century Mediterranean literature from France, Italy, and North Africa. At Michigan, I was also fortunate enough to have taught for the Comparative Literature, French, and English Departments, as well as the Summer Bridge Scholars Program.

My most recent adventures have brought me to Princeton, NJ, where I teach for the Princeton Writing Program. My courses include a Freshman Writing Seminar on photography as well as one entitled “The Miniature” (because tiny things are fun!). Although I have learned so much from these many and varied experiences, I had a persistent desire to deepen my vocation as a poet–a desire that spurred me, most recently, to return to complete an M.F.A. in poetry at Warren Wilson College (2018). I’m incredibly grateful for the intellectual and creative communities that I have been a part of for more than a decade.