Teresa is a Fellow in Thanatology (FT) through the Association for Death Education and Counseling, is a Certified Funeral Celebrant, and holds a Certificate of Death and Grief Studies from the Center for Loss and Life Transition. Her areas of special interest include infant and child loss, grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide, and the role of funeral ceremonies and other rituals in facilitating grief.

Since 1986 she has taught various social science courses, such as Social Aspects of Death and Dying, Professional Relationships in Funeral Service, Psychology of Grief and Counseling, and Funeral Home Aftercare. She is a graduate of Miami University where she earned both her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees. Teresa serves as faculty advisor to the student government and the professional sorority at CCMS. In addition, she coordinates the college's assessment program (CAP) designed to improve institutional effectiveness and student learning.