Biography
I received my M.A. (2009) and Ph.D. (2014) in Communication Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Before that, I completed my B.A. (2007) in Communication Studies and Spanish from Southwestern University.
Research Interests
Throughout my academic career, I have been interested in how people learn about and feel part of organizations. Specifically, my qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research uses theory to advance scholarship in organizational socialization and identification. My program of work primarily explores these mechanisms vis-à-vis three avenues: organizational membership, social media, and wellness.
My work is published in respected journals like Management Communication Quarterly, Communication Monographs, the Academy of Management Review, and the Journal of Communication. I was awarded the Linda L. Putnam Early Career Scholar Award from the Organizational Communication Division of the International Communication Association, and I have been a contributing author to four of the handbooks in organizational communication: Miller and Poole’s (2024) Organizational communication theory and research; Brummans et al.’s (2024) Handbook of qualitative research in organizational communication; Scott and Lewis’s (2017) International encyclopedia of organizational communication; and Putnam and Mumby’s (2013) Handbook of organizational communication.
My work is published in respected journals like Management Communication Quarterly, Communication Monographs, the Academy of Management Review, and the Journal of Communication. I was awarded the Linda L. Putnam Early Career Scholar Award from the Organizational Communication Division of the International Communication Association, and I have been a contributing author to four of the handbooks in organizational communication: Miller and Poole’s (2024) Organizational communication theory and research; Brummans et al.’s (2024) Handbook of qualitative research in organizational communication; Scott and Lewis’s (2017) International encyclopedia of organizational communication; and Putnam and Mumby’s (2013) Handbook of organizational communication.
Teaching Interests
In addition to my research interests, I hold a deep commitment to teaching excellence, as evidenced by two of the highest university-wide teaching honors at Texas State University, “The Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching” and the “Award for Excellence in Online Teaching.” Feedback from students also confirms that I’m a skilled instructor. I consistently receive high formal student evaluation scores (M=4.8 out of 5 since 2014), and students have anonymously commented that I’m “extremely organized,” “very knowledgeable” and “excited about the content.” My courses, from students’ perspectives are “interactive,” “relevant” and “informative.”