I am an assistant professor in the political science department at Samford University, where I teach courses on American government, American institutions, public administration and nonprofit management. I have an applied background in nonprofit management, leadership and governance, fundraising and grant writing, and volunteer and event management. I have successfully secured funding from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Florida State Arts Council, the Alabama State Department of Education, and various private foundations. I also have experience as a grant reader, including regularly serving on the music grant review panel for the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

I received my Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University and a Master’s in Arts Administration from Florida State University. Prior to my graduate studies, my career has been spent in the arts, first as an opera singer and music teacher, and then as an administrator. I have worked with various arts nonprofits, most notably as Executive Director of the Montgomery Music Project in Montgomery, Alabama.

My research interests revolve around nonprofits (specifically in the arts), American political behavior, and the intersectionality between the two. My recent work focuses on the impact Black operatic works have on mitigating racial bias. I have presented my research at the Southern Political Science Association, the International Society for Third Sector Research, the Social Theory, Politics & the Arts, and the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action conferences.

My husband, Luke, and I have three children, Sofía Rose, Oscar, and Arlo. When time allows, I enjoys singing, traveling, and reading.

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