My first book, The Word in the Wilderness: Popular Piety and the Manuscript Arts in Early Pennsylvania​ (Penn State Press, 2020), explores the spiritual uses of calligraphy and manuscript illumination among German-speaking mystics, Pietists, Anabaptists, and other Protestants in early Pennsylvania.

My new book, Portrait of a Citizen: Stephen Girard, Mariner, Merchant, Banker, and Philanthropist of the Early American Republic (De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2026), uses book history and material culture studies to offer a new account of the life of a well-known Philadelphian merchant-banker.

A forthcoming follow-up study, titled Stephen Girard: Captain of American Enterprise and Philanthropy (Routledge, 2027), offers a curated set of primary sources related to Girard's life and work, as well as a deeper assessment of Girard's association with enslavement and the implications of his will for estate and trust law.

My passion is using rare books, manuscripts, artworks, and other artifacts to catalyze transformative learning experiences while building financially sustainable futures for cultural nonprofits. 

My professional expertise is helping cultural nonprofits optimize their business models, enhancing ROI and increasing earned revenue potentials through data-informed strategic leadership, while demonstrating civic impact through evaluation.

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Background image: James Gibbs, Bibliotheca Radcliviana, Or, A Short Description of the Radcliffe Library at Oxford (London: Printed for the author, 1747).  Courtesy of the Winterthur Library. Portrait by Tracie Van Auken. (Taken at Girard College, holding a volume from Stephen Girard's library.)