I really am stimulated by new adventures, change, and figuring out organizations and influence. So that is why it has been very interesting to be Director of the Professional Leadership Master’s program at Carlow University. Bringing the program into being (it was a very well-designed plan on paper when I came to Carlow) and watching it grow and develop has been fun. There are always new challenges, new students, new books, new something….. And the whole point of the curriculum—leadership—embraces issues of change, life in organizations, and understanding why people act as they do in organizations!

Because I like studying organizational change and influence I was a Political Science major from a BA at the University of Washington through a University of Wisconsin PhD ( a journey of about 20 years with breaks and incompletes). I studied Urban Politics and Comparative Politics and had the good fortune to do my dissertation research studying inequalities in the distribution of  housing in the city of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (at that time called the Republic of Zaire).  I also was able to teach high school students there. It was a life-altering experience leading me to eventually be a teacher (In Africa I taught English!)

I have developed new programs in academic institutions and also in the nonprofit social service world (focusing on sexual assault and sexual abuse issues).  Systems and organizations that impact the choices of women and children are of great interest to me. So teaching at Carlow, with many adult women as students, has been very rewarding.

Since I also love traveling and having to operate in cultures where I don’t know the rules, my consulting adventures in Zaire and Northern Ireland have been very stimulating.  Issues of inequality and justice have always drawn me (as does the Carlow mission), so international cultures and the study of equity in our own country are fascinating.

I love to laugh, to dance (in my car or elsewhere), to read novels, to eat pie, to walk in the woods, and to play with my 3 granddaughters (and their parents of course).

I have had wonderful mentors in my life including the first woman to hold a cabinet post in the state government of Wisconsin, a terrific male colleague from Claysville PA, my mother, and Cher.

ABOUT TEACHING: As my career evolved I became a teacher of adult students and learned many things: They show up, they work hard, they have lots of knowledge, and if you do not engage them---they leave.  This means my work is about facilitating interesting and challenging discussions that make the students feel there is something in the conversation that applies to their life and work.  This has been an inspiration to my own lifelong learning. Because there is so much wisdom and experience in the room, I always learn from everyone in class. 
The courses I teach and the questions I find challenging flow from the education and experiences I have described above.  Teaching adults helps me integrate my own learning while I am trying to help them integrate their formal and informal learning.

Background
If you do not find me in the classroom (my favorite place) or in my office, try finding me in a kayak on a lake or in the ocean. Or you might discover me at a sports event watching one of my grandchildren. In addition to these pastimes my passion is writing … papers, articles, pieces … anything.

I teach Instructional Design and Implementation, Principles of Qualitative Research, Communication for Leaders and Influencing Organizations. I am a long-time member of the Carlow community and have an extensive background in teaching, research and administration in higher education. Prior to my association with Carlow I was an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh. I also developed a diagnostic speech communication program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. My Ph.D. is from the University of Pittsburgh with a dissertation entitled Dueling with Metaphors: A Rhetorical Analysis of the U.S. Health Care Reform Debate.

I developed, owned and operated M H E Consulting and Training, a small company specializing in consulting around organizational development and training design and delivery. A partial client list includes AT&T Wireless services, Armstrong World Products, Century Management Systems, the Federal Reserve Bank, Gateway Rehabilitation System, Legent Corporation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Mellon Bank, National Kidney Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Corning, Pittsburgh High Technology Council, Pittsburgh Labor and Management Council, Statlanders Pharmacies and Swanson Analysis.

Teaching Philosophy
Although I am not a musician I appreciate music and what good musicians do. My auditory sense is my preferred mode of taking in data. Perhaps that is the reason I have an image of the effective teacher as a great musician who is especially skilled at musical improvisation. I say improvisation, because I believe that one way a true teacher is revealed in the way she is able to provide what is necessary from what is available … to create … to improvise … to perform within the limits of a situation. In a “jam session” a good musician can create great music with the instrumentalists who are there. By the same token, the effective teacher can create an ensemble from any group to produce their desired outcomes.
 
An effective teacher constantly needs to be attuned to the learners. This does not mean always being “in tune” with everyone. We know that harmony is pretty, but playing in a minor scale or with dissonance can present fascinating and imaginative variations on themes. If the teacher is attuned to the other members of the ensemble, she knows the appropriate “notes” to play. But, she can only accomplish this through careful listening and inquiry into the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of the other players.

If one can creatively improvise and stay attuned to the other players in the ensemble she should also know when to let someone else take the lead. An effective teacher knows when to follow; when another theme should be dominant; when to play pianissimo. Really excellent teachers encourage others to take the lead. Improvisation, communication and knowing when to give over the lead are the marks of a good musician and an effective teacher.

I love the energy that is created when we play with ideas. I find this energy particularly compelling in the classroom as students learn from each other and push their own thinking when encountering new perspectives and theories. In addition, I experience a similar thrill when working solo or collaboratively on my research.

My approach to teaching has been influenced by outstanding professors, particularly several I have studied with on the graduate level. These teachers bring energy, passion, creativity, warmth, and challenge to the classroom. I endeavor to do the same. At present I am also a student, as I am pursuing a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. My research focus is on the relational dimension of mentoring. Prior to beginning studies at Antioch, I earned a master of science degree in counseling from Springfield College, and a bachelor of arts in journalism from Duquesne University.

Before joining the faculty at Carlow, I taught and worked in student affairs at Carnegie Mellon University for 14 years. I began my career as an intern in the Smith College Career Center, and also worked at the University of Hartford and later, Bard College.

Along with my work in higher education, I have maintained an active writing practice. As a freelance writer with a focus on music and pop culture, I have been published in numerous regional and national publications including: Modern Drummer, The Advocate, In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Press, Philadelphia Gay News, and Windy City Times. In addition, I wrote and edited Spirituality 101: the indispensable guide to keeping – or finding – your spiritual life on campus (Skylight Paths, 2004).

In October 2007, I was honored with induction into the 1885 Club, by the Alumni Association of Bangor Senior High School, in recognition of my writing accomplishments and higher education career. In addition, my master’s thesis Former Student Leaders’ Perceptions of an Ethical Conflict Involving the College/University President: A Qualitative Study, earned national recognition with the American College Personnel Association’s Gerald Saddlemire Master’s Research Award.

Along with teaching and learning, I enjoy rock music. I am on a continuous quest to find new bands and artists whose music will keep me company and I am often inspired to make mix cd’s for friends and family – hoping to turn them on to new music as well. Prior to beginning my doctoral studies, I played drums in a few local bands. In addition, I enjoy travel, photography, and fitness training.