About

I am a nurse anesthetist by training and specialized in neurological and cardiovascular surgery. My primary research involved how intermediate-acting non-depolarizing neuromuscular agents worked on the microscopic level as well as the dosage requirements of neostigmine and glycopyrrolate needed to reverse those neuromuscular medications. Additionally, I worked in pharmaceutical development, primarily Phase IIa and IIb medications (anti-seizure medications) as well as Phase III medications (HIV, sexual dysfunction, gastric ulcers, urology, insomnia, and smoking cessation).

More recently, my research has shifted out of the medical field. My primary research includes looking at what make an MBA student at UNCP successful. Additionally, along with my colleagues, I am looking at the evolution of craft breweries and their effect on college enrollment. These results were presented in Ireland in June 2022. After noticing that there wasn’t a craft brewery between Charlotte and Wilmington on I-74, we expanded this topic. The next question is to determine the economic impact of a craft brewery in the local area. We are looking at NAICS codes to see what other business opened up after a craft brewery. We have already been accepted to present these results in Milan, Italy, in Summer 2024. Most recently, other colleagues and I are looking at assessing a blended pedagogical model in UNCP Anatomy and Physiology courses.

Outside of UNCP, I do a lot of work with gymnastics. I have been judging women's gymnastics since 1994, and I am currently a nationally-rated and internationally-rated gymnastics judge. I travel all over the state, country, and internationally. I have worked with little kids who spend more time doing their hair than they do at gymnastics practice up through NCAA gymnasts, including several Olympians. I have judged NCAA Nationals and NGA Nationals. Currently, I am working on several projects with Laurie Hernandez, Maggie Nichols, McKenna Kelley, Mary Lou Retton, Katelyn Ohashi, and others. For the Laurie Hernandez project, we hosted a series of qualifiers in the US for a championship meet in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This will be the third year doing this.