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I am a historian whose work bridges Medieval History, Ancient Roman History, Early Modern English History, and Art History, with a particular focus on women’s history, the eleventh-century Church Reform, friendship, and spirituality. Central to my research is Matilda of Tuscany (1046–1115), whose political and spiritual influence I examine through the lens of her personal relationships and her engagement with reform movements within the medieval Church.

My scholarship includes peer-reviewed articles on Matilda’s friendships and her role in Church reform, exploring the intersections of leadership, spirituality, and personal relationships. Notable examples include “Nihil Terrenum, Nihilque Carnale in Ea: Matilda of Tuscany and Anselm of Lucca during the Investiture Controversy” (Storicamente,); “Anselm of Canterbury and Matilda of Tuscany: The Journey of Friendship,” (MATILDICA). “Reconstructing Matilda’s Relationship with Countess Ida of Boulogne” (MATILDICA, in press). Building on this work, I have two book projects in progress, both scheduled for publication in 2027, which continue to investigate women’s leadership, intellectual contribution, and spiritual authority in the medieval world. 

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My research has been presented at international conferences, including the International Medieval Congress in Leeds, the Medieval Academy of America meetings at Harvard and Notre Dame, and the Associazione Matildica Internazionale in Italy. Across these projects, I am motivated by a sustained interest in how friendship, spirituality, and cultural change illuminate the interplay between faith and human agency.

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Since joining the University of St. Thomas in 2021, I have developed new courses and programs that invite students to engage with these themes: Medieval Women, Renaissance Women, The Crusades, The Medici, Art of Greece and Rome, and interdisciplinary offerings such as The Eye of the Beholder and Heroic Women in Medicine. In 2025, I designed and directed the Study Abroad Program Italy: Art, History, and Faith, guiding students through Florence, Rome, Siena, and Assisi to experience firsthand the artistic and spiritual heritage of the Catholic tradition.

Alongside my research and teaching, I contribute to strengthening the humanities at UST through public lectures, film series, student societies, and collaborative programs across disciplines. In all of this, I aim to cultivate a scholarly life attentive to tradition, open to discovery, and engaged with the wider community.