I am Associate Professor (beginning August 2025) of Political Science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN and Co-Director of the Purdue Program on American Institutional Renewal (PAIR). Previously, I was Assistant Professor of Political Science at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and a Fellow and Visiting Research Scholar at Princeton University’s Center for the Study of Democratic Politics. I earned my Ph.D. in 2019 from the University of Michigan’s Department of Political Science and a B.A. in 2013 from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY (Major: Political Science; Minors, Mathematics, Philosophy). I am originally from Reedsville, Pennsylvania, a small town located in (beautiful!) Kishacoquillas (“Big”) Valley, Mifflin County.
My research agenda examines how hyperpartisanship has transformed American political institutions, with a particular focus on how narrow, insecure, and highly contested partisan majorities have engulfed traditional “depolarizing” forces within American politics. More specifically, my work investigates: 1) how insecure majorities undermine the cross-cutting and depolarizing effects of special interest groups, geography, and new policy issues, 2) how current partisan institutions hinder policy change and influence bill drafting, and 3) how partisan centralization in legislatures has led legislators to shift resources away from policy expertise. My work also explores institutional reforms, such as primary election reform and investments in legislative capacity, aimed at addressing these challenges.
Of equal importance, I have a strong passion for teaching, and am proud member of the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts faculty at Purdue and contribute to the Cornerstone for Business sequence at the Mitch Daniels School of Business. A list of my courses taught can be found in the “Teaching” section of my website, which includes my teaching philosophy, sample syllabi, and other relevant information.