Welcome to My Faculty Profile!

It is both a privilege and a blessing to serve as a professor of Political Science at St. Petersburg College (SPC), where I have taught for over a decade. My primary mission is to empower students to achieve academic success and unlock their potential to enhance the socio-economic well-being of their families and society. I believe that teaching and learning flourish in a caring environment that fosters mutual respect, critical thinking, civic engagement, and a shared vision for a better future. Inspired by Marcus Tullius Cicero’s words, “What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation,” I view teaching not just as a profession but as a career, a humane service, and a mission.

My academic journey began at St. Petersburg College in 2004, where I studied English as a Second Language (ESL). I graduated from SPC in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration, specializing in Law Enforcement. I went on to earn a Master’s degree in Political Science, Comparative Politics, and International Relations, followed by a Ph.D. in Government and International Relations from the University of South Florida. My expertise centers on U.S. foreign policy, with a particular focus on Middle Eastern and Balkan politics.

In addition to my work at SPC, I have taught international studies courses at the University of South Florida for over ten years, including Globalization, World Perspective, International Relations, Conflict in the World, International Wealth and Power, International Organizations, and the Middle East. I also taught American Government and Political Science at Hillsborough Community College from 2011 to 2016.

I am the author of "US Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The Case for Continuity" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017 - http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Policy-Middle-East-Continuity/dp/3319453262), a work I am deeply proud of, especially as it received the endorsement of Professor John J. Mearsheimer, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago.

I am dedicated to inspiring and supporting my students as they navigate their academic journeys and prepare to make meaningful contributions to our community and beyond.