About

I’m a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the University of Texas at Austin. I study the policies and politics of immigrant political incorporation in the United States on a local level. I explore why cities across the country have passed inclusive policies for immigrants. Specifically, I look at the role that local immigrant-serving organizations and advocacy groups play in this process, and examine whether city-level efforts to help politically integrate immigrants affect immigrants’ political behaviors and senses of belonging. I use a mixed-methods approach to studying these questions.

I am committed to pursuing academic work that is both rigorous and policy-relevant. I have worked with governmental and community-based organizations to gather data and produce reports that help us better understand a policy’s impact, and improve it going forward.

Before starting my PhD, I held several different roles at organizations dedicated to building more inclusive democracies. I have worked at an immigrant settlement center, and as a “get out the vote” coordinator. I have worked at different think tanks, researching immigrant inclusion in Canada and how social media affects democracy. I have supported the Institute of Future Legislators at the University of British Columbia and at Toronto Metropolitan University.