Before taking up this position, she worked as a researcher and teacher at the University of Queensland, a state literacy specialist in Hawaii, a literacy consultant, and a reading teacher in public schools in Nevada and California. Throughout her career, Stevens has explored literacy as a sociocultural practice in particular contexts, particularly among young people in their secondary years of schooling. She has co-authored a book on critical literacy and co-edited a book exploring the cultural construction of adolescence. In addition, she has several published articles and chapters in various kinds of publications.