Hello! Welcome to Sabbatical Studio.

My name is Liz, and I’m a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in sport management, with nearly 20 years of research experience. Outside of academia, I’m a lifelong traveler with an insatiable curiosity, always planning my next adventure and finding ways to bring creativity into everyday life.

Sabbatical Studio started with a simple insight: while sabbaticals are rare and deeply valuable, the structures in most universities lead us to believe they’re simply isolated, once-in-a-decade moments – but there’s so much more potential.

My first sabbatical was full of discovery and curveballs, and it showed me how much we can get out of these opportunities with intentional preparation, reflection, and follow-through. Sabbatical Studio is a space to share strategies, support, and inspiration for making the most of each sabbatical – and for carrying that clarity, creativity, and momentum into everyday academic life.

The goal isn’t a perfect sabbatical – I don’t think that exists. Instead, the goal is a sabbatical that’s meaningful, rewarding, and generates energy you can carry forward.