Lecturer at UC Davis
Adjunct Instructor at Yuba College
PhD in Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
MA in Philosophy, San Francisco State University
BA in Philosophy, Western Washington University

I work on the history of early modern philosophy, specializing in St. Teresa of Avila and Rene Descartes.

My research engages in, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• Exploring the potential historical and conceptual connections between Descartes and the burgeoning Catholic meditational genre of the 16th and 17th centuries.

• Clarifying the metaphysical and psychophysical underpinnings of Descartes’s account of the emotions – especially the internal emotions and their relation to bodily passions. 

• Drawing out the central philosophical themes present in the mystical theological work of Teresa of Avila, including her philosophy of mind, social epistemology of mysticism, and more. 

Outside of philosophy, I enjoy exploring the Sierra mountains with my wonderful family, teaching and training in martial arts, and playing music.