I am an Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department at Louisiana State University. I completed my doctorate at Cornell University, where I was a graduate fellow at the Gender and the Security Sector Lab.

My research interests include African politics, state-building and the role of security forces in society.

My research has been published or is forthcoming in the Journal of Peace Research, The Journal of Politics, and other academic outlets. I have received funding for my research from the National Science Foundation, the National Security Education Program, and the Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.

Originally from Colorado, I received a B.A. from Colby College and an M.A. from the University of Chicago before beginning my studies at Cornell.