Bio

I was raised in Cleveland, Ohio in a family with a Slovenian-American and working-class background. Early on I developed passions for baseball, music, and debating philosophical questions about topics like justice, God, or the mind. I did my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Ohio State University and completed my Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. My research and teaching have focused on the history of American philosophy and ethics. I am interested in using the American philosophical tradition to critically examine our assumptions about who we take to be worthy of moral consideration as we seek to create inclusive and democratic communities.

The theme that pervades all my work in higher education--be it scholarship, teaching, or administrative leadership--is “thinking from the other’s point of view.” We are fundamentally relational beings who have deep needs to contribute to, and to be acknowledged by, the communities within which we find meaning. Our job as educators is to create learning communities that nourish personal growth while simultaneously encouraging students to contribute the fruits of their learning to their communities.

As Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs I seek to empower students, faculty, and staff to fulfill USCL’s mission to make education accessible to our surrounding community and to have a positive impact on our citizen’s wellbeing. My virtual and physical doors are open. Come visit and let’s share stories. Let me know what I can do to help you grow.