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Where are you from? What did you do before coming to Dalhousie?

I am from the States—originally from Northern Michigan, but most recently I was an assistant professor of management at the University of Nevada, Reno.

What drew you to the Rowe School of Business and Dalhousie?

I was attracted to the opportunities to do collaborative research at Dal. I see many parallel interests with faculty here and look forward to synergies between our research programs.

What are your research and teaching interests?

I am passionate about organizational behaviour. I love to teach the science of human behaviour in organizations, and to do so I incorporate cutting-edge research into my courses, linking theory and practice in a manner that is memorable and relevant to students with the ultimate goal of students being able to translate class topics to their work lives.

My program of research addresses three forms of (counter)productive work behaviours as they are manifested in organizations: incivility, harassment and citizenship. As organizations seek to maximize their human capital, we have to pay more attention to the work relationships that promote or diminish personal and professional development. My work investigates the conditions that facilitate forms of mistreatment that exclude and undermine individuals, with the goal of fostering healthy relationships and minimizing damage related to counterproductive behaviours.

What were your first impressions of the School/Faculty/Dalhousie?

My first impressions are from my interview trip here in January. I was so pleased that my future colleagues attended my research talk on a chilly, damp and still dark winter morning. We had a lively and productive conversation and based on their engagement and hospitality I knew it was a community I was interested in joining.

What's your favourite thing (so far) about working here?

My colleagues, both within the faculty and beyond, are very welcoming. The people make the place!

Tell me about something you’ve accomplished.

I am most proud of the successes I see in my students—for instance, watching a master’s student evolve in her thinking about the social construction of gender and its effect on opportunities in the workplace, or hearing from undergraduates that they are applying the skills learned in courses on OB or evidence-based management. These are some of the most rewarding moments for me as a professor.

What advice would you give to a new faculty or staff member?

The best advice I got was during my first year of a tenure-track position. A senior colleague told me to “keep my head down and focus.” It’s a short mantra that helps me prioritize my work and focus on what really matters.

What's something most people here don't know about you?

Most people here don’t know that I was raised on a bison ranch in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I worked for our family business while growing up and I still try to make it back to cut hay for a couple days in the summer.