I am a doctoral candidate in political science and graduate fellow with the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma. I earned my M.A. and B.S. in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi.
My dissertation introduces a theoretical model of policy diffusion that elucidates how policies adapt throughout the policy process. My primary argument is that two types of adaptation uniquely and independently allow policy sharing across subnational governments: entrepreneurial adaptation and institutional adaptation. I demonstrate how the theoretical model implies improved measurement strategies and observational expectations in policy diffusion studies. Finally, I show how this approach provides a helpful framework for understanding why some diffusion attempts succeed and others fail. This project draws on insights and strategies from policy studies, legislative politics, and computational methodology.
My broader research agenda centers on how institutions shape behavior, particularly in Congress and state legislatures. I also actively research religion and politics and new developments in methodology. My work has appeared in Legislative Studies Quarterly.