Vera Institute of Justice [Aug. 2022 - Present]
Research Associate, Beyond Jails Initiative [Aug. 2024 - Present] ... Los Angeles, CA
Quantitative research and data science work in support of Vera’s Beyond Jails Initiative. Responsible for contributing to research design, project management, data collection/wrangling/analysis, publication of research products, and developing strategies for using research to support the team’s policy advocacy goals.
Also working with Vera’s central data science team to develop best practices for using administrative data from criminal-legal system sources, including guidelines on the use of AI and machine learning tools.
Research Analyst, Opening Doors to Housing Initiative [Sep. 2023 - July 2024] ... Brooklyn, NY
Worked closely with Initiative's research director to advance mixed-methods research in support of the team's policy goals. Provided rapid research support to program staff in response to advocacy needs.
Example contributions:
Qualitative study of housing policy change in New Jersey, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (research design • project management • study recruitment • stakeholder management • data collection and analysis • writing)
Mixed-method study of tenancy and criminal-legal system outcomes among public housing residents (data collection, cleaning and analysis • writing)
Mixed-methods study of the scale and impact of exclusionary housing policies on people with conviction histories (data collection and cleaning • project management)
Research Analyst, Central Research Department [Aug. 2022 - Aug. 2023] ... Brooklyn, NY
Conducted quantitative analyses of administrative data related to jail and prison incarceration, community supervision, and pretrial detention. Also helped to maintain Vera’s one-of-a-kind Incarceration Trends database.
Previous work and internships
Administrative Assistant, United Academics (2021 - 2022, Burlington, VT)
Assisted the Executive Director of United Academics, UVM’s faculty union, with updating member data and managing union communications.
Continuing Intern, Justicia Migrante (2020 - 2021, Burlington, VT)
Participated in research, community engagement, and political organizing work with Justicia Migrante, a migrant farmworker-led organization committed to advancing the rights of VT dairy workers. Work was conducted in both Spanish and English.
Research duties included analyzing the corporate structure of a major regional food retailer and compiling a detailed report of findings for the benefit of an on-going campaign; examining data on farmworker wages and organizing it for further analysis; other major duties included farm visits, attending farmworker assemblies and community events, and assisting with demonstrations.
Tenants' Rights Intern, Metropolitan Council on Housing (2019, New York City)
Worked with a team of interns under the supervision of experienced community organizers to engage with and organize rent stabilized tenants in New York City. Most of this work was done in Spanish. This included both in-the-field activities (canvassing, tenant association organizing, action planning, and more) as well as in-office work (phone banking, data entry).
Investigative Intern, Chittenden County Public Defender (2019, Burlington, VT)
Conducted investigation into ongoing criminal cases on behalf of defense attorneys and senior investigators. This included analyzing and verifying charging documents, affidavits, criminal records, and evidentiary materials (e.g. body camera, cruiser, and processing videos), interviewing defendants both in-office and in the field, compiling reports for the supervising attorneys, and a variety of additional investigative tasks.
Policy and Constituent Services Intern, Office of Councilmember Brad Lander (2018, New York City)
Assisted Constituent Services & Community Affairs Director Megan Flynn with the intake and handling of constituent services. This included the personal management of constituent cases under the supervision of Ms. Flynn. Also assisted Legislative Director Annie Levers with policy research, data collection, and written communications.
Press and Communications Intern, Office of Public Advocate Letitia James (2018, New York City)
Under the supervision of Press Secretary Morgan Rubin, drafted official press releases, talking points, quotes, and social media posts for the Public Advocate. Also communicated with press and conducted research into media opportunities.
Academic teaching and research positions
Teaching Assistant, University of Vermont (2022, Burlington, VT)
Teaching Assistant for Sociology 014: Deviance and Social Control, an introductory course on deviance from a social constructionist perspective, taught by Professor Eleanor Miller. In addition to grading student work and hosting review sessions, I delivered a guest lecture titled “Gusfield’s Symbolic Crusade: Status Conflict & Deviance”.
Research Assistant, University of Vermont (2022, Burlington, VT)
Assisted a faculty member in UVM’s Department of Sociology with statistical research on anti-intellectualism and attitudes towards religion, science and education in the U.S. and abroad.
