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In an era where new technical knowledge is being generated at an astounding rate, understanding when, where, and how to best utilize information is increasingly important. Perspectives on what information is most relevant to any given topic, however, vary greatly and are heavily informed by our subjective experiences of the world. Meaningful engagement of all segments of society is thus a crucial part of addressing the growing concerns of today’s societies. Where some groups are overlooked or silenced, the ability to solve the problems that affect us all become severely limited. In healthcare, the marginalization of those with mental illness results in policy that only increases the impact of mental illness on communities. In education, the implicit biases that we hold and project about who can be a scientist alter the way that we conduct clinical trials and engineer our worlds. These are just a few of the myriad examples of how engagement matters when we talk about any of today’s big problems.

Unfortunately, fostering engagement is a difficult task. More people today than at any previous time in history feel disconnected from the institutions that effect their daily lives (e.g. banks, political institutions, schools, etc.). Increasing political and class frustrations are driving more people to express discontent with traditional engagement mechanisms like voting. Yet, this occurs among a backdrop of increasing numbers of popular movements both big and small, global and local in scope and consequence. This space is dedicated to the examination of these trends and what they signify for society.

I am currently the Program Director for Project CEOS. I am a recent graduate of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs where I earned my PhD in the Summer of 2013.

My research investigates how local initiatives affect health care outcomes. Local autonomy and its appropriate place in the decision making process has yet to be well conceptualized in either the health services research literature or public administration research. Increased citizen engagement in public policy is generally discussed as a desire for accountability and democracy. Tension is a common characteristic in areas of policy in which expert knowledge is traditionally given much weight or where it is believed that public opinion may violate societal ethics, both of which are true in the healthcare arena. Thus, my research interests focus on the intersection of citizen engagement and policy formulation, specifically health policy. Recent federal legislation has given state governments more responsibility in the regulation and provision of health insurance. In doing so, however, states must determine the needs of their populace and how best to ensure an efficient and effective insurance marketplace. My research focuses on how states and local governments are attempting to balance these various demands on their resources.

CV