I am a PhD candidate in Political Science with a focus in American Politics. I returned to school after working in the Texas policy and nonprofit space, specifically in PK-12 education research, refugee resettlement, and community engagement/advocacy. 

My research interests include education policy, gender, race, and political violence. My dissertation broadly examines the escalating extremism in American politics particularly in the local context. A primary focus is developing a comprehensive theory to explain forms of non-democratic expression such as threats of violence against politicians and withdrawal from public environments. 

I am a graduate of UT Austin (MA in Public Affairs) and Southwestern University (BA in Economics and Business, minor in Environmental Studies). 

In my free time, I love to hike, try new restaurants, and relax with my two cats, Kona and Yogi.