Research
I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership with a concentration in Organization Development. My research focuses on the sustainability of rural and coastal communities through a leadership lens.
I am currently working as a research assistant with an interdisciplinary team studying the socio-economic challenges residents face in coastal communities in Maine and Greenland. My experience includes conducting qualitative interviews, participating in community-based research events, analyzing data, conducting literature reviews, writing articles for peer-reviewed publications, and presenting findings to local and global audiences. Additional responsibilities include mentoring research assistants, writing grants, and project management including leading research team meetings and maintaining data organization systems.
Previous research includes:
collaborating with Indigenous individuals from Maine and tourism and hospitality students from Greenland to conduct site assessments for sustainable tourism development at UNESCO sites and creating a cookbook and culinary community event in Greenland with the Arctic Education Alliance
exploring elderly experiences with loneliness and lifelong learning in rural, Northern communities
examining the experiences of small, independent grocers in Maine during the COVID-19 pandemic
exploring the impact of colonization on Inuit in Canada and Greenland
understanding the history and experiences of women in the blue economy
using arts-based research methods to explore lived experiences of residents of island communities
Publications
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Perspectives of Island Life: Shifting Ecologies in an Independently Governed Island
A qualitative phenomenological study explored cultural, ecological, and socio-economic changes facing residents of a small New England island.
Island Studies Journal
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Life on the Island: Community Storytelling Using Collage Portraiture
Portrays the experiences and impact of using arts-based research methods in an island community.
Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship
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Vulnerability and Adaptation on the Icecap’s Edge: Farming Communities in Subarctic South Greenland
An in-depth qualitative analysis of sheep farming communities in subarctic South Greenland adapting to cultural, social, and economic changes.
Polar Geography
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Examining the Experiences of Small, Independent Grocers during the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this research brief, we examine the resilience of independent grocers in Maine in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maine Policy Review
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The Blueprint for the Blue Economy in the Arctic Must Focus on Communities and Recognize the Work of Women
Highlighting the foundational nature of communities in the blue economy and the invisible role women have played in the blue economy.
Maine North Atlantic Institute
Presentations
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52nd International Arctic Workshop - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA | 3/2024
Oral Presentation: Vulnerability and Adaptation on the Icecap’s Edge: Farming Communities in Subarctic South Greenland
Poster Presentation: Centering Indigenous Perspectives in Sustainable Arctic Tourism
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42N (formerly New England Arctic Network) - University of New England, Portland, ME | 11/2023
Poster presentation: Perseverance and Adaptation in South Greenland Farming Communities.
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American Association of Geographers NESTVAL Regional Meeting - Portland, ME | 10/2023
Oral Presentation: Perseverance and Adaptation in South Greenland Farming Communities.
*Received Graduate Student Research Paper Award.
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Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland | 10/2022
Panel presentation: The Blueprint for the Blue Economy in the Arctic Must Focus on Communities and Recognize the Work of Women.
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Thinking Matters - University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine | 4/2022
Poster presentation on master’s thesis: Identifying the Support Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Maine Need from Each Other and Their Communities to Thrive