Welcome!

I am a third-year doctoral student in the Department of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, and a graduate affiliate with the Center for Effective Lawmaking and the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.

I study the U.S. Congress and presidency, with a focus on how the nationalization of elections affects legislators’ incentives in responding to the president’s legislative agenda. I apply a mixed-methods approach to this question, using statistical methods — particularly text analysis — as well as elite interviews and game theoretic models.

Previously, I worked as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives covering health policy and the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. I graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with majors in Political Science and Economics and a minor in Philosophy.

I am originally from Golden, Colorado and am an avid skier and mountaineer, having summited 27 of the 60 highest peaks in the contiguous United States.

On this page you can find my current research projects, information on my teaching experience, and download my CV.