I attended Appalachian State University and after graduating with a BA in psychology I began working as a therapist, first with youth and later with adults. I recognized early on that treating individuals in isolation did not produce the same outcomes as when I treated individuals within context. In other words, including families, friends, and communities in the treatment of individuals produced far better outcomes and enhanced the quality of life for my clients. I returned to school to obtain a Master of Social Work from a joint program between The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and North Carolina A&T University and specialized in clinical and administrative social work with a sub-specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. I continued practicing during my master's program and for the first couple of years of my doctoral program. I obtained my Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at UNCG in 2005 where I specialized in the diversity of close relationships and research methodology. After graduating I took my current position at CMU. Currently, I also serve as the advisor for Alpha Phi Omega- Epsilon Beta Chapter.