My ongoing dissertation work looks at how urban governance is shaped in developing democracies. I look at the interactions between the distinct career incentives of elected politicians and appointed bureaucrats to analyze under what conditions they each claim credit or share credit for providing governance. I seek to explain disparities in governance and institutional capacity beyond the current themes of clientelism, the politicization of the bureaucracy, and underinvestment in public resources.
Before joining the Politics Ph.D. program at UVA, I graduated with a M.A. in International Affairs (2019) and a B.A., magna cum laude, in International Affairs (2017) from The George Washington University, where I took courses on inter-state strategic partnerships, maritime security, conflict resolution, and counter-insurgency.