I became a philosophy major at Boston College because I was keenly interested in understanding the hows and whys of the world around me – and I saw philosophy, with its relentless questioning of the fundamental presuppositions of every conceivable area of knowledge – as providing me with the best avenue for developing such an understanding.

I still consider myself more of a student of philosophy than a teacher of it, and I enjoy exploring with my students a wide range of issues and topics ranging from ethics, to feminist philosophy and gender studies, to racism, ethics of the family and, most recently, topics related to social justice, mindfulness, and embodiment. (My interests are always evolving!)  Ethics is the thread that ties together my disparate interests – I’m keenly interested in that most basic philosophical question of how should we live together.

My professional writing has always been grounded in my life experiences and has primarily focused on the ethics of interpersonal relationships.  I’ve published articles on friendship, autonomy, motherhood, adoption, care ethics, and teaching men’s studies. Currently, I’m working on a book manuscript entitled When Your Heart Walks Outside Yourself: A Virtue Theory of Parenting.

My personal interests include walking, gardening, yoga, kayaking, bicycling, quilting, cooking, and travel.

Research & Teaching Interests:

Ethics, Feminist Philosophy, Ethics and the Family, Adoption