I am a sociologist engaged in community-based work, with a goal of informing policy and practice to support the vitality of rural U.S. communities. My core research program concerns the family and community dimensions of substance use. I utilize (mostly) qualitative methods, including ethnography and in-depth interviewing, to examine these issues in rural Appalachia. With Penn State Extension, I put this research into practice through community-based programming in rural Pennsylvanian communities. Outside of this focus, I have also conducted collaborative research on rural healthcare access, immigration policy, and people's utilization of their social support networks.