My interest in psychology began with a simple question: why do people do the things that they do? My career in violence prevention started with child sexual abuse. As my knowledge of the common factors underscoring many different types of violence, as well as the common resilience factors that could support human growth, I have become committed to violence prevention across the lifespan.

I worked for 37 years at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where I was involved in violence prevention through my teaching at the undergraduate and doctoral levels, my research, my clinical work with victims and perpetrators of violence, and my community service to foster children, parents, and young adults aging out of the foster care system.  I recently was awarded Emeritus Status.  

I have been involved in many advocacy projects in support of ending interpersonal violence. Some of these projects included the impact of adverse childhood experiences on health, the impact of adverse victimization and perpetration on later victimization and perpetration, the impact of writing news articles documenting the impact of adverse childhood experiences on public opinion, and cultural healing strategies as empowerment activities after trauma. 

I am involved in many professional organizations however, the bulk of my efforts have been in support of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan.