I am a PhD candidate in Health and Behavioral Sciences, as well as an academic advisor and instructor for the undergraduate program in Public Health. My research interests are the structural determinants of health, basic needs security, health in all policies, and community engagement. In my dissertation project, I am examining the mental health impacts of housing insecurity and gentrification on low-income residents in Southwest Denver, using an ethnographic approach. I also collaborate with Drs. Sara Yeatman and Jean Scandlyn on a mixed-methods project to understand how school-based health centers shape teens’ reproductive and educational experiences. I serve on the Colorado Public Health Association's Health Equity Coalition, the Board of Directors of EarthLinks, and work as a pro-bono research consultant for local community-based organizations including Denver Homeless Out Loud, Kids First Health Care, and Boulder Food Rescue. My overall goal is to bring a critical multidisciplinary lens to the field of public health through research and teaching.
