I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I earned my M.A. in Political Science at UNC in 2021, and my B.A. in Political Science and History at the George Washington University in 2018. During my time at GWU, I developed a lasting fascination with electoral institutions, especially the United States’s unusual manner of nominating candidates. I also realized that I wanted to spend my life teaching others the material that enthralled me so. With these interests and desires firmly established, I decided to pursue a doctorate in political science.

My research focuses on elections and political parties in the United States. I study electoral institutions, elite rhetoric, campaigns, and voting behavior, with an emphasis on intraparty competition and factional divisions. My dissertation, which centers on American populism, incorporates each of these fields. I assess political elites’ use of populist rhetoric in inter- and intraparty contests. I show that populist rhetoric has become particularly salient in contemporary contests, and that primary voters frequently reward populist candidates for their rhetoric. I also consider the presence of populist rhetoric in American politics throughout  history. Beyond my dissertation, my research frequently focuses on the intersection between elite messaging and behavior in the mass public. For example, in a paper forthcoming at Party Politics, my co-authors and I show that candidates’ fundraising advertisements tend to be more emotionally charged and less substantive than those which focus on driving turnout.

The opportunity to share my knowledge with engaged undergraduates has been perhaps the greatest joy of my experience as a graduate student. I have had the privilege of teaching multiple intermediate-level undergraduate classes as an instructor of record at UNC. I strive to strike a balance between engaging lectures, rich discussions, active learning, and thought-provoking assignments in a welcoming, inclusive environment. In a paper forthcoming at PS: Political Science and Politics, I detail a simulation exercise I have implemented in the classroom. I incorporate my research into lectures when a given day’s topics intersect with my work outside the classroom. I hope to cultivate each of my students’ interests and passions into an enduring curiosity which will serve them through decades of active citizenship.