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I am a Bostonian with Buckeye flair.  I'm also Professor of Political Science in  the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Massachusetts Boston.  I earned my PhD and Master's in Political Science from American University in Washington, DC and a BA in Sociology (minors in English, Political Science; concentrations in Psychology, Sex & Gender) from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, graduating magna cum laude.

My primary research interests are in voter access in the United States, women's political representation, Massachusetts and New England politics, and the ramifications of student loan debt for political participation. I employ a variety of research designs, build original datasets, and conduct descriptive as well as  advanced quantitative and qualitative analysis to address how patterns of social stratification influence political access and representation at both the national and local levels.   

I am author of four books.  The latest, More Than Blue, More Than Yankee: Complexity and Change in New England Politics, was published October 2024 by University of Massachusetts Press and co-edited with Amy Fried at the University of Maine. The Politics of Massachusetts Exceptionalism:  Reputation Meets Reality (University of Massachusetts Press, co-edited) published in 2022.  The Politics of Identity: Solidarity Building among America’s Working Poor (State University of New York Press, Helen Ingram and Anne Schneider’s “Public Policy” series) is based a year of fieldwork in a low-wage service job and in-depth ethnographic interviews.  Diversity in Contemporary American Politics and Government (co-edited) is published by Pearson-Longman Press.  My articles appear in top peer-reviewed journals including American Journal of Political Science, Perspectives on Politics, Political Research Quarterly, and Women & Politics.

I believe in a publicly engaged Political Science. My political commentary appears in national outlets including The Associated Press (AP), Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, The New York Times, NPR, Newsweek, PBS Newshour, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.  Locally, I appear frequently of WGBH, NPR (Under the Radar with Callie Crossley, Morning Edition), New England Cable News (NECN), and Boston25.  I am a member of the MassPoliticsProfs who blog on all things politics #mapoli.   I value and prioritize my time in the classroom and the privilege of working with students.