I am an Assistant Professor of African American Studies at San José State University.

I study American politics and methodology with a focus on Black women. My research examines voting behavior, intersectionality, gender stereotypes, sexism, and misogynoir.

I received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Davis. I am also a proud CSU alum, having received an M.A. and B.A. in Government from California State University, Sacramento.

My monograph dissertation, “Intersectional Stereotyping and Voter Bias: The Impact of Mammy, Jezebel, and Sapphire Stereotypes on Black Women Candidates,” explores topics of gender, race, and voter perceptions by investigating how mass media stereotypes of Black women (e.g., Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire) shape voters’ evaluations of Black women candidates in the United States. My dissertation has earned multiple awards, including the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics and the Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Award from the Center for American Women and Politics.

In my free time, you can find me walking my dogs on the Guadalupe River Trail, exploring San José, or watching Marvel movies.