She received her B.A. degree in psychology at Rollins College and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research and teaching interests include gender, sexuality, workplace culture, and qualitative methods. She has published articles on workplace culture and sexual harassment, workplace dress norms, the construction of masculinities in organizations, and the dynamics of gay friendly workplaces in journals such as American Review of Sociology, Sociological Spectrum, Gender & Society, Gender Issues, Sexuality Research and Social Policy and Social Problems. In 2010 she co-edited a book with Christine L. Williams entitled Gender and Sexuality in the Workplace (Emerald). She has also published work on the methodological implications of diaster research in the context of Hurricaine Katrina.