About Me

I am an Assistant Professor of public health whose work brings together sociology, aging, health policy, and LGBTQ+ equity. I’m especially interested in how people’s lives are shaped by the social worlds they move through — families, workplaces, healthcare systems, communities, and the political environments that structure access to care.

My research focuses on how social and policy contexts influence cognitive aging, mental health, and healthcare experiences across the life course, with particular attention to LGBTQ+ populations. I use a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, including large-scale survey data and community-engaged studies, to ask questions like: How do experiences of discrimination accumulate over time? When do social ties and community involvement become protective? And how do shifting policy landscapes affect people’s wellbeing in everyday life?

Alongside academic research, I care deeply about public scholarship. I regularly write for general audiences and policymakers about health systems, civil rights, and the real-world consequences of regulatory and legal change. I see this work as an extension of my research mission — translating evidence into conversations that matter beyond the university and helping bridge the gap between scholarship, policy, and lived experience.

Through this site, I share updates on current projects, new publications, op-eds, and opportunities to participate in research, as well as occasional reflections on what I’m learning along the way. My hope is that it becomes a place where colleagues, students, journalists, community partners, and curious readers can follow my work and stay connected.