Hello! I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. My research focuses on the connection between populism, affective polarization, and democratic backsliding. I am also interested in elite interactions and party competition. I study these phenomena in Western democracies with a specific interest in Europe and the Italian case.
I am from Buffalo, NY (Go Bills!) and graduated from the University at Buffalo with a B.A. in Political Science and Italian before moving to Davis, CA for my PhD. I have also spent time living and studying in Florence and Genoa, Italy.
In my free time I enjoy traveling, cooking, swimming, cycling, and playing board games with friends.
Education
🎓PhD in Political Science, 2020-present | University of California, Davis
🎓BA in Political Science and Italian, 2020 | University at Buffalo
Research Interests
Political Parties | Affective Polarization | Populism | Democratic Backsliding | European Politics