I am a sociologist specializing in poverty, public policy, social inequalities, race, religion, politics, survey research methodology, and quantitative analysis. My research broadly examines how social factors shape individuals’ perceptions of poverty and their beliefs about its solutions. Additionally, I investigate the factors driving state-level variations in social safety net programs and how these differences impact program outcomes. Lastly, I am committed to evaluating the limitations of existing public opinion measures on poverty and advancing the development of more effective survey questions.
I earned my Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincon, with a minor in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Psychometric Methods (QQPM). After graduation, I was a postdoctoral research fellow with the Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics, and Psychometrics. Subsequently, I joined the Interpersonal Violence Research Lab as a Senior Project Director.
Prior to returning to graduate school, I worked in research administration at Iowa State University which included serving as a pre-award administrator in the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (OSPA), managing the Sponsored Programs Accounting office, and serving as a project manager working with interdisciplinary research teams in the Grants Hub, a new initiative of the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR).
Currently, I am conducting a qualitative research project exploring perceptions of poverty as a Research Affiliate in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. I also consult on projects while actively exploring new career opportunities. In my free time I enjoy meeting up with friends at coffee shops, listening to audiobooks while going for walks, watching college basketball (Go Cyclones & Huskers!), working on various crafting projects, and spending time with my fur baby, Mews.
