Born in Michigan, MA and Ph.D. earned at Johns Hopkins University, Department of Near Eastern Studies. Staff member on excavations in Syria (Umm el-Marra) and Israel (Megiddo) Conducted research in Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Held NEH grant in Jordan (2002 at the American Center of Research) and also in Israel (2013 at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research). Editor of Maarav (a journal of Northwest Semitic Languages and Literatures) since 2003-2022. Co-editor of Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research (July 2014- December 2020). Current member of the Society of Biblical Literature Executive Committee. Member of Journal of Biblical Literature Editorial Board (2018-2021). Member of Biblical Archaeological Review Editorial Board (December 2021- ).