About Me

I am a social, health, and cultural psychologist. My research investigates the mechanisms and pathways by which social relationships, social support, and daily social interactions influence both our psychological and physical health, with a focus on cardiovascular functioning and heart rate variability. To fully understand these pathways, I consider culture and social ecologies as critical contexts which shape the structure and function of relationships. Thus, in order to fully understand the models of relationships and health, my work includes cultural perspectives. 

I am currently an associate professor at Kyoto University Kokoro Research Center (KRC). following a 2019-2020 research fellowship at KRC. This fellowship focused on understanding the ways in which living alone - a relatively new yet dramatic demographic trend related to industrialization and socioeconomic development -  influences our social experiences, health habits, and physical well-being. I also teach undergraduate courses in psychology, health psychology, and social psychology for Kyoto University's Institute for Liberal Arts and Science (ILAS). 

My academic history:
​I completed my Ph.D. from the University of Utah Department of Psychology and Health Psychology Program in 2015. During my graduate studies, I also developed an interest in cultural psychology while completing two fellowships at KRC in 2013 and 2014. Following my Ph.D., I briefly worked as a postdoctoral fellow in psychoneuroimmunology at the Ohio State University before transitioning  to a teaching-focused position at the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea. 

I also hold a B.A. in Psychology with Honors from American University in Washington, D.C. (2006). an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University (2009), and an M.S. in Psychology from the University of Utah (2013).