She began her career as a junior high family and consumer sciences teacher in Lewiston, Idaho. She holds a B.S. from Iowa State University and a M.Ed. from the University of Minnesota in Family Education. She obtained a Ph.D. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education from Iowa State University in 2007. While working on her Ph.D., she taught junior high for three years and served two years as a lecturer at the University of Idaho in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. Her research interests include global perspectives of clothing and textiles, public policy and family and consumer sciences, family and consumer sciences education teaching, and sustainable human sciences.