Jessica Leveto

About Jessica Leveto

With over two decades of experience navigating academia and motherhood, my work is fueled by a passion for creating a culture where work-life integration is not only achievable but celebrated.I am an Associate Professor of Sociology; my expertise spans family, motherhood/caregiving, identity, mental health, neurodiversity, emotion, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the broader dimensions of higher education.I recognize the complexity of the experiences of motherscholars, and my research examines the interplay of motherhood within academic spheres. I aim to bridge theoretical and empirical insights with applied practice by drawing from micro and macro sociological frameworks. I work hard to shift higher education culture, policy, and practice to create a more inclusive and accessible experience for faculty and students with caregiving responsibilities.Proficient with analytical tools such as SPSS, STATA, AMOS, and MAXQDA, my research contributions have been published in a variety of outlets such as Sociology Compass (Wiley), Current Psychology (Springer), Advances in Group Processes: Biosociology and Neurosociology (Emerald), Leading Change in Gender and Diversity in Higher Education internationally from margins to mainstream (Routledge), and New Directions in Identity Theory (Oxford University Press).In 2015, driven by my commitment to supporting academic mothers and public sociology, I founded Ph.D. Mamas. This online community now connects over academic mothers worldwide, working toward social equity for those balancing motherhood with their academic roles. Ph.D. Mamas is a space that fosters mental, emotional, professional, intellectual, and physical well-being. I serve as the Vice President of the Academic Mama Foundation, which offers grants to aid academic mothers in blending their scholarly pursuits with parenthood. I am a board member of the International Association of Maternal Action and Scholarship (IAMAS), an organization advocating for empowered motherhood through focused research and collaboration.As a first-generation college graduate and a proud mother to Liam (24), Ryleigh (10), and Lillian (8), my academic and personal missions are deeply intertwined.

Experience

1. Associate Professor of Sociology

   Kent State University At Ashtabula

   Aug 2019 — Present · Ashtabula, OH, US

   Courses taught (including 3, 5, 7 & 15-week preparations, online and face to face)Introduction to Sociology Childhood in SocietyAdolescence in SocietyAging in SocietySociology of GenderSociological Analysis Data Analysis & Data Analysis Lab Sociology of Health & Health Care Sociology of Mental Health Career Pathways in Sociology, Criminology and Justice Studies Researching SocietySociological Theories

Education

• PennWest Edinboro

  BA, Sociology, Psychology

  1998 — 2003

• Kent State University

  PhD, Sociology

  2005 — 2012

• PennWest Edinboro

  MA, Social Science, Sociology

  2003 — 2005