Resume
Summary
As an interdisciplinary researcher skilled in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, I am interested in conducting policy-relevant research and program evaluations. Specializing in social innovation, my research interests include social finance, international development, collaborative governance, co-production, and systems change.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Public Policy and Management
Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California
May 2024
- Title of Dissertation: Outcomes-Based Contracting through Impact Bonds - Ties to Social Innovation, Systems Change, and International Development.
Master of Public Policy (MPP), Certificate in International Policy and Planning
Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California
May 2018
- Price Women and Allies Board Member.
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Diplomacy and World Affairs (Major), Economics (Minor)
Occidental College
May 2012
- Microfinance Investment Fund Board Member.
Professional Experience
Research Assistant
Price Center for Social Innovation
August 2018 - July 2023 | Los Angeles, CA
- Collaborated on research projects assessing social finance tools such as Social Impact Bonds and Emergency Aid funds.
- Managed research assistants and liaised with clients throughout the design, implementation, and evaluation of social innovation programs.
- Conducted literature reviews, interviewed program participants and stakeholders, and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data using Stata and NVivo.
- Co-authored three peer-reviewed articles, an evaluation report, and a policy briefing.
- Shared findings through six academic conference presentations and a podcast.
Research Assistant
Gould School of Law
September 2017 - May 2020 | Los Angeles, CA
- Provided research assistance on topics related to immigration detention and Community Bail Funds.
- Reviewed academic literature using legal resource databases such as WestLaw.
- Collected and cleaned data for quantitative analysis using Excel and Stata.
- Awarded two research fellowships from the Immigrants and Global Migration Initiative and the Linnie and Michael Katz Endowment.
Student Consultant
University of Southern California
August 2017 - May 2018 | Los Angeles, CA
- Worked on a seven-person consulting team for the Italian Civil Protection Agency.
- Created a person-centric approach to disaster response, with a focus on social media.
- Met with members from the local media, nonprofit, and private sectors in Milan to identify major stakeholders and objectives.
- Helped prepare final report and present findings to the Agency in Milan.
Research Assistant, Center for the Future of Aging
Milken Institute
August 2017 - December 2017 | Los Angeles, CA
- Researched initiatives for successful aging programs in support of the Mayor's Pledge, a campaign to make communities more livable for older populations.
- Cleaned, analyzed, and visualized data in support of the Best Cities for Successful Aging report.
- Provided research support as-needed for conferences and presentations.
Student Consultant
University of Southern California
January 2017 - June 2017 | Los Angeles, CA
- Worked on a seven-person consulting team for the Italian Civil Protection Agency.
- Created a person-centric approach to disaster response, with a focus on social media.
- Met with members from the local media, nonprofit, and private sectors in Milan to identify major stakeholders and objectives.
- Helped prepare the final report and presented findings to the Agency in Milan.
Account Executive
Charity Brands Consulting
October 2016 - May 2017 | Los Angeles, CA
- Researched companies whose corporate social responsibility objectives matched our clients’ interests.
- Identified organizational alignments for public-private partnerships and mission-driven campaigns.
- Wrote memoranda outlining client strategies and potential partners.
Teaching and Mentorship Experience
Mentor
Price Professional Mentorship Program, University of Southern California
2024 – 2025
Future Faculty Teaching Institute Certification
Center for Excellence in Teaching, University of Southern California
Spring 2023
Teaching Assistant (Masters-Level)
University of Southern California
2017 - 2020
- Econometrics for Policy Analysis (Fall 2020)
- Public Policy Practicum (Fall 2019, Spring 2020)
- Economics for Policy, Planning and Development (Summer 2017)
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Program Design to Ease Administrative Burden in Times of Crisis: An Evaluation of Two Emergency Aid Programs in Los Angeles
This article explores how Emergency Aid (EA) programs can be designed to reach those students most in need while responsibly managing limited budgets and without imposing overly-burdensome application requirements.
Can a Focus on Co-Created, Strengths-Based Services Facilitate Early-Stage Innovation within Social Impact Bonds?
This article examines how co-created, strengths-based services within Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) can catalyze early-stage innovation, using four UK SIBs as case studies.
Are social impact bonds an innovation in finance or do they help finance social innovation?
This article evaluates whether Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) align with social innovation theories by analyzing their role in financing social goods production and scaling innovation.
An evaluation of the emergency aid programs at the University of Southern California and Los Angeles Community College District
This report evaluates the impact and effectiveness of emergency aid programs at USC and LACCD, providing insights on how these programs support student success.
Social impact bonds 2.0? Findings from a study of four UK SIBs
This briefing explores the evolution of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) in the UK, focusing on how SIBs 2.0 can deliver innovative approaches to public service delivery.
Honors and Awards
- Henry Reining Best Dissertation Award (2024)
- Price Fifth Year Fellowship (2022-2023)
- USC Graduate School Summer Research and Writing Grant (2022)
- Price/Graduate School Fellowship (2018-2022)
- Immigrants and Global Migration Initiative Research Fellowship (2019)
- Linnie & Michael Katz Endowed Research Fellowship (2018)
- Robert P. Biller Award for Best Policy Analysis (2018)
- Price Dean's Merit Scholarship (2016-2018)
- Distinction on Occidental College Senior Thesis (2012)
- Occidental Trustee Scholarship (2008-2012)
Skills
- Qualitative & Quantitative Methodologies
- Research Design, Policy Analysis, & Program Evaluation
- Writing Academic Articles, Evaluation Reports, & Policy Briefings
- Presenting & Communicating Findings to Broad Audiences
- Stakeholder Engagement & Cultural Competency
- Experience with STATA, NVivo, ATLAS.ti, ArcGISPro, & Python
Languages
- English: Native proficiency
- French: Advanced proficiency
- Spanish: Basic proficiency