About Me

I am an interdisciplinary social scientist with formal training in anthropology, biology, and spatial science. I received my undergraduate training in anthropology and biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, followed by graduate school in anthropology at Arizona State University, where I developed specialized expertise in Social Network Analysis (SNA) and spatial modeling.

Since 2019, I have served as a Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist in the Academic Innovation department at Northwestern University Libraries. In this role, I provide institution‑wide geospatial consultation services to students, faculty, and staff across disciplines, including the social sciences, environmental studies, public policy, and health sciences. I advise on spatial data acquisition, study design, analytical workflows, and cartographic and computational visualization. My professional interests include critical cartography, remote sensing applications, and spatial statistics.

Research Projects

Rural-Urban Disparities in Post-Acute Therapy Utilization

In collaboration with Dr. Tiago Jesus, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at The Ohio State University, I supported visualizing the distribution of post-therapy utilization rates for Home Health Agencies (HHAs), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). Specifically, our aim was to map areas of low-use of post-acute rehabilitation therapy utilization rates for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries and analyze the prevalence of low-use in rural versus urban areas. Our analysis indicated that areas of low post-acute rehabilitation therapy utilization varied across the continental United States and were especially prevalent in rural and small rural counties across site types. My role also supported mapping efforts related to Getis-Ord GI* analysis. This work involved a spatiotemporal component, where we tracked emergent hot and cold spots from 2013-2022 in the United States to assess post-acute therapy outcomes.

Longitudinal Tree Canopy Cover (TCC) Dataset

This ongoing project aims to develop a longitudinal dataset combining U.S. Census Bureau data with USGS NLCD Tree Canopy Cover (TCC) data from 1985 to the present at the census block level. My role in the project has focused on processing large-scale geospatial data using Northwestern University’s High-Performance Computing Cluster (Quest) and validating analytical outputs. The project was developed to expand access to high-quality longitudinal environmental exposure data while lowering the barrier to entry for researchers new to GIS and TCC analysis. By pairing a large-scale data product with methodological guidance, the project aims to support more transparent, interpretable, and reproducible environmental research. Additional details and documentation will be added as the project approaches completion.

Mapping the Mediterranean

In collaboration with Dr. Bihter Esener, Assistant Professor of Art History at Northwestern University, I support undergraduate instruction in the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps for digital humanities research and spatial storytelling for the course Art and Architecture of the Medieval Mediterranean World (ART HIST 329). As part of the course’s final project on mapping the medieval Mediterranean, I teach students how to combine geographic analysis with data storytelling to explore cultural exchange and architectural development across the Mediterranean.