I am an Associate Professor in the Relating and Organizing Area with specific interests in interpersonal communication and health. I am also an affiliate faculty member in the Colorado School of Public Health and the Director of Graduate Studies for the department! I teach classes in Interpersonal Communication, Conflict Management and Communication, Communication Theory, and Communication Research Methods, among others. I also teach the department's study abroad course in Murcia, Spain! My research interests include how the relationships we have with friends and family affect our health and well-being at multiple levels. I am particularly interested in the communication of social support and the communication experiences of informal caregivers. Currently, I am working on several research projects around the topics of social support, caregiving, conflict management, and health. I am also co-editing the first-ever volume on supportive communication! My work has been published in journals such as Personal Relationships, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Health Communication, Journal of Health Communication, and Qualitative Health Research.

When I'm not busy teaching or doing research, I usually hanging out with my husband and our two golden retrievers or traveling somewhere fun with friends and family.