Welcome to my website! I'm an Associate Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. My research focuses on global poverty and international agricultural development. I'm increasingly interested in environmental sustainability of smallholder farming operations. Through my research, I seek to positively influence policies and programs designed to improve the welfare of rural poor households in developing countries.
I earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis in 2013, an M.A. in International and Development Economics from the University of San Francisco, and a B.A. in Economics and International Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Illinois, I was an assistant professor of economics at Montana State University and then an assistant professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. I have also worked as a short-term consultant for the World Bank.
In my free time I enjoy sipping coffee, climbing mountains, and generally being outside with my family and friends.