My research explores how public policies shape family and individual well-being, with a particular focus on child welfare, behavioral health, and consumer finance. A central theme in my work is examining the spillover effects of risky behaviors and vice goods, such as gambling or substance use, on children’s outcomes and household finances. I primarily use quasi-experimental methods and large-scale administrative and financial datasets.

Working papers

Analyze the cross-border spill-over effects of marijuana dispensaries by Wisconsin borders in Michigan and Illinois to Wisconsin families using a difference-in-differences design and restricted Child Protective Services data from the Wisconsin Administrative Data Core.

Research project with Professor Megan Doherty Bea that investigates the effects of minimum wage law changes to payday lending and banking.  

Other research interests and projects

Ongoing projects (including dissertation chapters) study the effects of sports gambling laws on debt, payday loan use, and child welfare. I am also interested in marijuana legalization's interaction with alcohol and other substances.

As a postdoctoral scholar at the Polish Academy of Sciences, I contribute to an international project with partners in many European countries, that develops microsimulation models and survey evidence to assess how policies can best enhance wellbeing. I am broadly interested in wellbeing research, particularly as it relates to child and disability wellbeing.

As an Affiliate Economist at Northwestern’s RISEI Lab, I contribute to research on labor market outcomes for youth with disabilities.