I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from UCLA, where I specialized in international relations. Prior to joining the faculty at California State University, Long Beach, I taught as a lecturer at UCLA. I hold a B.A. in History from Williams College and have professional experience in international development, including fieldwork across 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 experiences have informed 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.