Welcome! I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at Whittier College in Whittier, California. My research and teaching interests focus on political institutions, representation, and identity politics. Currently, I am completing my book manuscript, Gender Tactics: Understanding the Representation of Women in American Foreign Policy Legislation. I received my PhD in Political Science at Rutgers University in October 2014, with an emphasis on Women and Politics. I earned a Master's of Philosophy in Women's and Gender Studies at the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa and an International Gender Studies Certificate from Utrecht University in The Netherlands. In my research, I draw on my trainings in quantitative, qualitative, and feminist research methods. Prior to Whittier, I taught political science and gender studies courses at Brooklyn College, CUNY; Barnard College, Columbia University; and Rutgers University, New Brunswick. I also spent one year living in Ljubljana, Slovenia teaching English. Before graduate school, I worked on federal election campaigns in the US in Indiana (2002) and Oregon (2004). Originally from Madison, WI, I currently reside in Los Angeles, CA, where I enjoy playing beach volleyball, learning the nuances of California food culture, and travel.