She received her MA and PhD in mass communication, and a BA in communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She recently served (1998-2000) as the dean of the graduate school at the University of Oregon. She teaches courses in marketing communications, consumer behavior, and marketing research at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her research interests include memory, emotions, persuasion, and folk knowledge of persuasion and marketing. She is an active member, and current president, of the Society for Consumer Psychology (Division 23). Her other professional memberships include the Association for Consumer Research, American Marketing Association, and the American Academy of Advertising.