How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since January of 2023.

What first brought you to church?
My husband Mark and I grew up going to church regularly; he was raised in the Roman Catholic church and I was raised in the Presbyterian.

When we first visited Saint Philip’s we were looking for a place to have our daughter Thea baptized, and maybe attend a few times a year. We didn’t expect the parish to become such a big part of our lives.

What changed?
We felt very welcomed, and we found a community of parents that we appreciated immediately.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
The community. We were first-time parents and didn’t know a lot of other parents who shared our values.

Discovering the Parents’ Formation group was life changing. We met parents with children the same age as Thea but it was also wonderful to meet parents with children older than her who could tell us what we might expect and look forward to.

What makes you feel like you belong to this community?

Being in relationship with people here and knowing that I worry and miss them when they aren’t here on a Sunday.

How are you involved in the parish?
Last year I volunteered in the Nursery on Sunday mornings. This year Mark and I co-facilitate the Parents’ Formation group on Sunday mornings.

We were honored to be asked to lead Parents’ Formation because this group has been such an important part of our journey at Saint Philip’s. Having these relationships and their support is vital.

What do you do professionally?
I’m an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Arizona. I study chronic diseases associated with women’s gynecological and reproductive health.

I investigate what causes adverse conditions and how they are associated with long-term health concerns like cancer.

One focus right now is on endometriosis and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Some studies suggest there may be an association so one of our grants funds learning about potential causes so we can think about future targeted interventions.

How long are your studies?
Five-year studies are the norm. There are a lot of short-term goals that help keep me focused and interested. And I often underestimate how long things will take so that’s another reason I don’t get bored. That trait is less helpful in my daily life!

What’s one theme throughout your life so far?
I’ve let myself be guided and not tried to force decisions. They’ve just seemed to unfold naturally.

Can you share an example of that?
When I decided to apply to graduate school I submitted a few applications and decided to choose where I went based on who accepted me. When I decided to pursue my doctorate, I applied to a single school. I figured if it was meant to be I would be accepted—and I was.

Another example is that six months ago Mark became a stay-at-home dad. It certainly wasn’t anything we expected or planned for but it’s offered our family a lot of flexibility that’s been great. It emerged as an option and now here we are.

What helps you trust that process?
I don’t think of myself as an easy-going person but when I share all this it sounds like I am. I think that what makes me trust the process is knowing that I have my husband’s support and both of our families’ support.

Even if we fall and make mistakes, there will be people to catch us and help us get back on our feet. Knowing that such support exists makes the decisions feel less risky.

You have a husband, a full-time job, a toddler, and a baby boy due in June. How do you relax?
I enjoy the occasional “pajama walks”—when I take a walk before Thea wakes up or after she goes to bed…often in my pajamas.

I don’t have a lot of hobbies right now. Spending time with my family is pretty much all I want to do when not working.

What’s something you’re proud of?
I’m proud of how Mark and I try to be thoughtful about how we parent Thea.

We were married probably 10 years before we had her. Work was at the forefront of our lives for a long portion of our relationship. It’s been really fun to take on this new challenge with him and also see how our parenting styles are different yet complementary.

Having Thea was so different than what I expected. I knew it would be hard work but I didn’t expect it would also be so joyful and fun.

What’s something you’re passionate about?
I’m currently really excited about the idea of a phone sabbath. Mark and I gave up social media for Lent last year and we’re doing that again this year.

This year I’m also trying to take one day away from my cellphone each week. I want to create more room for thinking, reading, and journaling.

What’s something you find challenging?
Managing students and staff. I like to make people happy so I’ve had to learn how to help guide people to do a better job when they’re not performing as needed. That’s a skill set I’m still mastering.

Can you think of a decision you made that has made a real difference in your life?
Moving to Tucson in 2018 was life changing.

Mark and I had been in Boston for eight years but moved to Tucson because my parents retired here. We wanted to be closer to family and start our own family, and it felt more doable here.

It was scary at the time because we couldn’t know how the decision would impact us. I remember driving out of Boston and I couldn’t stop crying. I was really scared. We left good jobs and a community not knowing if we’d recreate that here.

What helped you get through that time?
Faith has played a bigger role in the last two years than ever before. Or said more accurately, I’m now more aware of it.

For example, when we were trying to expand our family Mark’s perspective was very much that the outcome was in God’s hands. “If now is a good time, great. If not, then it won’t happen.”

Taking that back seat and letting things happen and putting the outcome in God’s hands has been very comforting.

What’s something you know now that your younger self didn’t?
That everything will work out. It may not look like I imagined, but that’s okay.

I woudn’t have predicted 10 years ago that we’d be in Tucson. That I’d be where I am career-wise. That we’d have one child and be expecting another. That Mark would be a stay-at-home dad.

I’ve learned that I can face challenges and welcome unexpected opportunities. That’s all very exciting.

What’s one of your core values?
Dependability and hard work/grit.

Growing up I figure skated. I didn’t have the traditional body type, I wasn’t flexible, and I definitely wasn’t a natural. But I don’t give up easily so I practiced my jumps, and fell, fell, and fell some more.

Eventually I was able to land all my double jumps (except for the axel). I think the only reason I managed that was because I wanted to.

I’ve learned that putting in the hard work often pays off, even if I get some bruises along the way.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Try to show up and do my best—even if my best may not be the best.

I was given great advice recently. With so many balls in the air, I have to figure out which ones are made of glass (and will break if dropped), which ones are rubber (and will bounce if dropped), and which ones are sand (and I can pick up again if dropped).

Thinking about my responsibilities that way helps me prioritize what has to be taken care of on any given day. And it helps me cut myself some slack when necessary.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
I’m really grateful for my family. My husband and daughter but also our extended families.

What’s one of your super powers?
I’m comfortable In my own skin which I hope helps other people relax.

I also don’t mind making mistakes.

How do you use your superpower?
One example is at conferences. Research in psychology has shown that if women ask the first question at a scientific conference, more women are likely to ask additional questions.

I try to embody that in my work space, too. I’ll put myself in situations where I’m not comfortable and make mistakes with the hope that it will make others more at ease to do the same thing. It works!

What’s something about you that friends have said they really appreciate?
They’ve said they appreciate my dependability. If I say I’m going to show up I do my best to honor that and be present when I arrive.

What’s something new you want to do?
I want to invite people to our home and create community around a shared meal. That’s a challenge for me because I have to let go of the idea that the house has to look perfect.

What would you love to do that you haven’t yet?
I’d love to live abroad in Australia, Mexico, or Scotland. And I’d love to learn French.

What’s a fun fact about you?
I was born in Detroit but moved to Davenport, Iowa when I was 10 years old. The community where I grew up had about 300,000 people. That allowed me to participate in many more activities than would have been possible in Detroit.

For example, I was captain of the golf team and played varsity golf for four years. I wasn’t any good but the bar was really low. I was also in the show choir and played the violin.

And in college I sang in a female acapella group. Think Pitch Perfect. We aspired to compete but settled for concerts every semester. It was great fun.