Data for Public Policy
I am a Master of Public Policy graduate from the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, specializing in quantitative analysis and social policy. My work focuses on leveraging causal inference methods and large-scale administrative and survey data to study the dynamics and effectiveness of social assistance programs and drive evidence-based policy decisions.
Selected Portfolio Projects
Red Tape, Empty Plates: An Analysis of the SNAP Work Requirement in Kentucky
This graduate capstone project for the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy evaluates Kentucky’s SNAP ABAWD policy. It assembled a county-level panel (2017–2024) from USDA waivers, BLS/ACS/CHR and CHFS data, ran descriptive analysis and visuals in Stata/R, reviewed the causal literature on SNAP work requirements, and built a fiscal-impact calculator to score four alternatives. The report recommends county waivers plus limited 8% exemptions to protect food security at low fiscal cost.
View Technical Report View Code on GitHub Download Fiscal Impact Calculator (XLSX)
Securing Economic Development Funding for Buchanan County, VA
This project used R to analyze population decline, out-migration, labor force gaps, and disability trends (2010–2023) using Census/ACS, BLS, IRS migration, UVA Weldon Cooper, and County Health Rankings data. Insights guided strategy and supported a successful application that secured $100,000 for housing development, prioritizing workforce and housing needs.
Social Assistance Outsourcing
This independent research codebase supports a forthcoming paper on state eligibility-system modernization across SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. It compiles 50-state histories (2000–2024) on whether, when, and how states modernize—insourcing vs. vendors (e.g., Deloitte, Accenture)—and links them to SNAP outcomes (administrative costs, error rates, participation, PAI, APT) and economic/policy controls (LAUS unemployment/BBCE adoption). A reproducible Stata pipeline produces descriptive, FE/event-study, and CSDID analyses.
Evaluating Virginia CommonHelp Accessibility
This R project supports a forthcoming paper on multiple social assistance program receipt. It geocodes VDSS office locations and ZIP/ZCTA centroids, computes haversine, driving, and transit distances/times, and links ACS-based ZCTA characteristics to assess access to CommonHelp offices. The workflow classifies ZIPs (border vs. interior; residential status; PO Box/Unique/Standard), builds ZIP→ZCTA crosswalks, and maps service hot spots. Outputs include distance distributions, interactive maps, and an analysis-ready merged dataset.
Education
Frank Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy, University of Virginia — Master of Public Policy (May 2025)
- Coursework: Research Methods & Data Analysis I–II; Economics of Public Policy I–II; Data Management in Social Science Research; Advanced Topics in Impact Evaluation; Applied Policy Project I–II.
William & Mary — B.A., Government (May 2023)
- Coursework: Intermediate Microeconomics; Economics of Bad Behavior; Research Methods; Political Polling and Analysis; American Welfare State; Budget Policy; Politics of Inequality.
Work Experience
Graduate Research Assistant — University of Virginia (Jan 2024 – Aug 2025)
- Collected, cleaned, and analyzed large-scale datasets using R, Stata, and Python, producing quantitative findings.
- Drafted preliminary research, data cleaning, and data analysis memos to facilitate empirical research design.
- Collaborated with authors evaluating social programs, focusing on participation and welfare policy effectiveness.
Graduate Intern — Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority (Aug 2024 – May 2025)
- Analyzed labor and population data using R; presented findings to inform county economic strategy.
- Researched housing grants; secured a $100,000 infrastructure grant to support housing development.
- Drafted research memos to promote county development and attract business opportunities effectively.
Graduate Research Assistant — Darden School of Business (June 2023 – May 2024)
- Drafted reviews of academic literature on entrepreneurship, executive decision-making, and market structures.
- Cleaned publicly available data and information on companies, individuals, and other entities for faculty research.
- Conducted qualitative coding and analysis for various research projects supporting faculty-led studies.
Lead Session Intern — Office of Delegate Michael P. Mullin (May 2022 – May 2023)
- Managed office correspondence and legislative tracking using state databases to support the legislative agenda.
- Conducted legislative research on taxation, criminal justice, and energy; drafted memos and talking points.
- Coordinated scheduling, attended committee meetings, and provided legislative support as needed.
Research Assistant — William & Mary Public Policy Department (Sep 2022 – Dec 2022)
- Reviewed and synthesized academic literature on resilient and sustainable coastal communities.
- Conducted stakeholder analysis and prepared insights on policy recommendations and outcomes.
- Supported authors in developing materials and presenting findings to the client, Virginia Sea Grant.
Skills
Technical Tools: Stata, R, Python, SPSS, Tableau, Zotero, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace.
Research: Quantitative analysis, causal inference, data cleaning, data visualization, literature reviews.
Communication: Policy memos, presentation development, stakeholder engagement and collaboration.