About Me

I am a research scientist and educator. I have a PhD in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (University of California, Irvine) and a Master's in Social Work with an emphasis in Community Organizing (University of Pittsburgh). My research primarily examines how institutions and individuals shape the inclusion and exclusion of social groups. 

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I presently hold a position as an Assistant Professor at California State University Northridge. I also have over ten years of macro-level social work experience that includes program development and evaluation, community organizing and engagement, and art-based practice. My podcast, FAB: Untold Stories, combines research, story telling, and expert interviews to shed light on foster care, adoption, and related sociological phenomena. 

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Scientific Methods

I am skilled at quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research:

• Surveys

• Interviews

• Focus groups

• Trends Analysis

• Quantitative Testing

• Community-Based Research

• Arts-Based Research

• Content Analysis

• Program Evaluation

• Theory development and testing​​​

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Populations I've Worked With

My work has engaged vulnerable and low-income populations; urban communities, foster and adoptive parents; foster, adopted and homeless children and youth;  immigrant, refugee, and noncitizens populations,  African American children and youth; international students; first generation college students; and youth impacted by armed conflict.

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Research

To see my published scholarly work, click here.

 

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