I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from UCLA with a focus in International Relations and previously taught at UCLA as a lecturer before joining the faculty at California State University, Long Beach. I hold a B.A. in History from Williams College and bring professional experience in international development, including fieldwork in Central America and the Caribbean. In 2020, I was a visiting scholar at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, where I conducted research on U.S. foreign policy in East Asia. These academic and professional experiences have helped shape my research and teaching on global security, U.S. foreign policy, and the political economy of defense.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, soccer, tennis, chess, and writing and recording music. I have been the bassist of indie-rock band Happy Hollows since I moved to Los Angeles. Over the years, we have recorded four albums and toured across the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Japan. You can listen to our music on Spotify or Apple Music.