He received his Ph.D. in classical archaeology from the Department of Classics at the University of Cincinnati. His dissertation involved a comparative study of the effect of the Ptolemaic and Roman empires on the construction of local identities in Cyprus. Aside from his work with the AAP, Jody was Site Director of the 2008 Roman area excavations at Episkopi-Bamboula. His previous archaeological experiences include work in Tunisia (Leptiminus), Greece (Iklaina; Athenian Agora), and Italy (Monte Polizzo; American Academy in Rome). During 2008-2009 he served as the Crake Doctoral Fellow in Classics at Mount Allison University, and in the Spring of 2009 he was awarded the Danielle Parks Memorial Fellowship to pursue his research at CAARI.