I specialize in the painting, sculpture, and architecture of Renaissance and early modern (16th-17th-century) Europe— Italy, in particular. My research centers on early modern gardens and villas; the history of art collecting; the artistic and urban history of Rome; and the ways in which early modern ideas about medicine and health influenced architecture and landscape design.

I teach a variety of courses, including introductory survey classes on the history art and the history of architecture, as well as courses on Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Art. I also offer the discussion seminars Landscape & Art: Nature and Human Culture, and Michelangelo and His World, as well as a seminar for Senior Fine Arts Majors. I lecture and teach in the college’s core Freshman program, Conversatio; I taught in Saint Anselm’s study abroad semester in Orvieto, Italy; and I team-teach a chemistry course entitled The Science of Art and Artifacts, which investigates the principles of chemistry, technical art history, and conservation studies.

Before I joined the faculty at Saint Anselm, I taught at Columbia University, Emory University, and Penn State University’s Study Abroad Program in Todi, Italy. I have won research fellowships and grants from several institutions, including Dumbarton Oaks, Columbia University and the Mellon Foundation, The Getty Research Institute, The National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies (ACIS). From 2013-2014, I was Rush H. Kress Fellow at the Villa I Tatti, the Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence, Italy. My article, “The Afterlife of the Cesi Garden: Family Identity, Politics, and Memory in Early Modern Rome,” (Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 2013) received the 2016 Essay Prize of the Landscape History Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. In 2018, I received a College of Arts and Architecture Alumni Award from Penn State University.

Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, Art History
M.A., George Washington University, Art History
B.A.,  Gustavus Adolphus College, Classics

API offers best-in-class programming, with student well-being a high priority.

Our mission is to create better global citizens through international experiential learning. API programs are developed to be transformative, career-boosting experiences that include:

• Community involvement through optional volunteer programs with API Gives Back
• Cultural awareness through relevant coursework and time spent in multicultural student groups
• High-touch student support throughout the program 

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Academic Programs International (API) was founded in 1997 and is dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable experiential learning programs. Their extensive pre-departure preparation, coupled with strong support services on-site, facilitates academic, cultural and linguistic learning. Within the supportive environment of the API programs, API participants are encouraged to explore their host communities and become increasingly independent and confident in their own abilities. They strive to make international educational experiences accessible to as many participants as possible, and, as such, works to provide multiple program components at a low program cost.

API is committed to providing enriching international experiences to its participants. We believe in the importance of promoting acceptance, dignity, and respect among people of all backgrounds. No matter who you are or where you come from, API will support you during your journey abroad.