I am an assistant professor of educational policy and evaluation at Florida State University. My research uses quantitative and econometric methods to examine topics related to school accountability, turnaround, and improvement, as well as teacher policy, including labor markets, effectiveness, and preparation. At its core, my work focuses on the role of public policy in shaping student outcomes.
I received my Ph.D. in education policy from the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations (LPO) at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, where my dissertation examined low-performing schools, school turnaround, and leadership for school reform. I subsequently worked as a postdoctoral researcher the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) at Michigan State University, where I led research on Michigan's Partnership Model of School and District Turnaround.
Prior to my Ph.D. studies, I was a researcher at the Center for Education Policy at SRI International in Arlington, VA. In that capacity, I managed quantitative longitudinal data collection and management efforts and supported primary and secondary data analyses for education research projects. Before joining SRI, I was an associate at ICF International, where I supported federal program offices through formative evaluation support, technical assistance to grantees, and general capacity building.
I have worked as a journalist for daily newspapers in California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. I have a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a bachelor’s degree in Print & Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College in Boston.