She received her PhD in American Studies from the University of New Mexico in 2008. Her research and publications address the intertwined histories of reproductive health and colonialism, gendered racism, and citizenship in New Mexico. She has published on the history of parteras (Spanish-speaking midwives) in New Mexico and is currently writing about the first birth control clinic established in Santa Fe in the late 1930s. More recently, Dr. McQuade has also started investigating the history of the Berkeley Free Clinic and how communities have organized around health care. In her teaching, Dr. McQuade specializes in introducing General Education students to the analysis and insights from the field of Women’s and Gender Studies. She received the Excellence in Teaching Award (2016-2017) from Sonoma State University.