John’s University; she holds a doctorate in Reading/Writing/Literacy from the University of Pennsylvania. She recently published an article in "Urban Education" with Lourdes M. Rivera and has a sole-author article that is provisionally accepted in the Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy. She has published in journals such as Middle Grades Research Journal, Middle School Journal, Research in Middle Level Education, Tamara, and Voices in the Middle. The focus of her research is on middle grade students’ college and career readiness and responses to literature. She and co-author Lourdes M. Rivera currently have a book under contract with Palgrave on the research and practice of infusing career development into the academic programs of middle and high schools. Teaching InterestsLiteracy Acquisition and Development