My path to the academy was not linear and started with time spent in various roles outside the university conducting research that directly informed public policy across a variety of regional economic issues. Through these real-world experiences, it became clear that local policymakers often lacked rigorous data and analysis about which policies were most effective, yet many academic economists typically did not apply their knowledge to the most pressing policy issues in these local contexts.
To bridge this gap between knowledge and practice, I intentionally developed my research agenda by working in partnership with community-based organizations, city departments, and state agencies. Much of my work is interdisciplinary in nature and revolves around large-scale empirical evaluations to determine underlying causal relationships using novel data sets and a variety of methods and techniques—including randomized control trials and mixed-methods research designs.
My goal is to produce research evidence that can be used to change policies and practices that produce more efficient, equitable, and impactful social programs. My work has been cited roughly 2,000 times since 2018 and I was awarded the Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award by Northeastern University in 2022 in recognition of my research productivity. My contributions largely span the five main research pillars listed below that describe both my academic and policy contributions in each area.
