Originally from Columbus, Ohio, he received a PhD in 2009, an MA in 2005, and a BA in 2002 from The Ohio State University. His research addresses stepfamily functioning, fathering in the United States and Brazil, and men’s mental health domestically and abroad. He is the author of numerous research articles on these topics, which have appeared in journals such as Social Work, the Journal of Marriage & Family, the Journal of Family Issues, and Family Relations. He is married to Melissa Randall Shafer, and together they have four children—three boys and one girl.