I am a PhD candidate in Political Science and a Research Associate at the Center on the Politics of Development at the University of California, Berkeley.  My research is at the intersection of political economy, violence, and elite behavior, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. My dissertation investigates the role of elites on the variation of local level violence in resource scarce contexts. I have conducted field work in India, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria and have consulted on projects with USAID, DAI, and Mercy Corps. I employ experimental, quasi-experimental, and qualitative methods in my research.

Prior to graduate school, I worked for Innovations for Poverty Action in Uganda and Kenya for over three years managing studies on micro-savings, health and governance, and technology diffusion. I also was a Research Manager at the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University. I hold an M.A. in Political Science from Leiden University and a B.A. in Political Science from Wake Forest University.