About Me

I am a PhD candidate in the department of Political Science at Rutgers University in the subfield of Women and Politics. My dissertation research focuses on the intersection of age and gender in candidate recruitment and selection. I am advised by Dr. Mona Lena Krook.

Since 2019, I have also served as the lead graduate research assistant on the Young Elected Leaders Project at the Eagleton Institute of Politics' Center for Youth Political Participation. The project identifies young candidates and leaders across the United States and also works to understand how young leaders may be different than their older counterparts. Each year, I mentor undergraduate Aresty researchers on this project; teaching them qualitative methodology including interviewing techniques and data analysis.

I am also a founding member of the Youth Political Representation Research Network: An organization that aims to bring together academics, practitioners, and activists who are passionate about youth representation.

I have taught and assisted several courses across the discipline including; Introduction to American Politics, Introduction to Comparative Politics, International Political Economy, and Gender & Public Policy.

I am originally from a tiny town in Northern Michigan called Luzerne. I grew up on the AuSable River, home of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon. I have a love of the outdoors and am a third-generation finisher of North America's toughest canoe challenge: 127 miles, 7 dams, and 8 hours of complete dark...just me, my dad, and the river. My grandfather has the longest career of any "paddler" in the Marathon's history.

I completed my undergraduate degree at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. I then moved to Istanbul, Turkey to complete my Master's Degree in International Political Economy at Istanbul Bilgi University. I have had also had the pleasure of living for short periods of time in Jordan, as an undergraduate study abroad student, and in Gothenburg, Sweden, as a visiting PhD in the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg.

I currently call Philadelphia, PA home and live with my husband, Can, and our dog and cat, Ara and Kimora. We like to eat delicious vegan foods, listen to great music, and travel around the U.S. in our camper van!