Elizabeth received her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016. She previously earned an MS in Human Development and Family Studies and a Master's in Social Work, both from UIUC. Elizabeth's previous work has focused on the experiences of LGBTQ parents in nonmetropolitan communities. She has also explored lesbian and bisexual mother's experiences in rural communities in the context of poverty. Elizabeth has grown interested in researching contextual climate factors, and the ways in which climate can impact LGBTQ individuals and their family relationships.