Prior to joining Lehman, she was an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in sociology at Louisiana State University. A graduate of Columbia University, she earned her Master’s Degree and Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. Her academic interests are in sociology of education, social stratification, the sociology of culture, gender, and research methodology. Recent publications include a quantitative study of parenting practices and teachers’ evaluations in Sociological Perspectives, and a mixed-methods study of adult online learners, comparing first- and continuing-generation college-goers in American Journal of Distance Education.