About Me
I grew up in Southeast Austin, Texas, where I learned early about Mexican culture through grade-school performances of baile folklórico and a fifth grade report on the Aztecs. My worldview was profoundly shaped by my experiences at A.S. Johnston High School on Austin's East Side, where I was lucky to be surrounded by a diverse and engaged student body and committed faculty. After graduating, I spent two years at Barnard College before returning to Austin to attend the University of Texas at Austin and earn a degree in Latin American Studies with a concentration in Government. After graduation, Brian and I headed to Chapel Hill, where I completed advanced degrees (M.A. and Ph.D.) in Political Science. In the process of completing those degrees, we spent over two years living in Coyoacan, Mixcoac, and La Condesa in Mexico City. Brian and I still think of Mexico City as our second home.
In the rare moments I'm not working or spending time with family, I read mysteries, play video games, or continue my quest to find a decent plate of chilaquiles verdes con pollo in the Atlanta area. Brian and I have a dog and three cats. Mance is named after Texas blues legend Mance Lipscomb. Pannonica is named after a patron of Thelonius Monk, and Doyle and Syeeda's names are completely random. We also have three wonderful nephews: Gage, Gavin and Liam.
