About
I’m from New Plymouth, a rural town in southwestern Idaho, where the public schools were the center of the community. Most of what I study today traces back to that experience: who governs our schools, who gets a voice in those decisions, and how schools and teachers prepare us to be citizens.
I studied political economy at The College of Idaho, then earned an M.A. in political science at Duke University and a Ph.D. in Politics & Education at Columbia University. My work today views education as a political institution, not just a policy area. I have taught graduate seminars on American politics and education, federalism, and the policy process.
After Columbia, I was a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University with the Annenberg Institute and the Realizing Rights Lab. There I ran exit polls in school board elections alongside undergraduate students, and built out work on administrative burden/ease and democratic participation.
Today, I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at North Central College. I live in Chicago and make the commute out to Naperville, which gives me time to catch up on emails (and to listen to Taylor Swift). I still follow Idaho education policy closely, and I write about it for Idaho Ed News whenever I can.
Outside of work, you can usually find me watching the latest Netflix show, catching up on pop culture, or exploring a new corner of Chicago.
Recognition
- Emerging Education Policy Scholar, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute and American Enterprise Institute (2026–27)
- Campbell Award for exceptional leadership and Columbia spirit, Columbia University Alumni Association (2024)
- G.O.L.D. Award (Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade), The College of Idaho (2024)
A few moments
