I am originally from Azerbaijan and received my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I later moved to Baltimore, Maryland, to complete my MSW and PhD in Social Work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. I was drawn to NMSU by the welcoming community of students, staff, and faculty and am excited for the opportunity to work alongside colleagues who are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of marginalized communities.

This upcoming semester, I will be teaching Introduction to Social Policy: History, and I am looking forward to working together with my students to understand how the history of social policy can be leveraged to improve the human condition today. I am passionate about working with students from a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences and am dedicated to supporting their learning in any way that I can. I am also invested in making sure our social work students do not shy away from research. I believe that even if future social workers never plan on conducting studies themselves, reading new research and continuously learning about strategies to improve the services they provide is essential to becoming effective social workers.

Outside of the classroom, my research focuses on addressing behavioral health disparities among marginalized groups, particularly by identifying strategies to reduce harmful substance use. Right now, I am very interested in practical ways to connect people experiencing harmful alcohol and tobacco use with the therapeutic and pharmacological services they need to build healthier patterns of use.

When I am not working, I love spending time with my husband, Zach, and our fur babies. We are the proud parents of a beagle puppy, Cooper, and three cats: Bruno, Columbus, and Zuko.

I am thrilled to join the New Mexico State University School of Social Work, and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone.