I am an Associate Professor at the UMass Amherst School of Public and Global Affairs, Department of Public Policy and the Principal Investigator of the Community For Impact (C4I) Lab. I study how nonprofits, foundations, and communities drive social and policy change. Using computational and mixed-methods research, my work examines place-based disparities in philanthropic resources, the democratic dimensions of giving and grantmaking, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in the public and nonprofit sectors. 

 

My work centers on four interconnected areas:

1. Philanthropy & Grantmaking — How foundations decide where resources flow, and where they don't. I examine place-based disparities in charitable and foundation giving, social justice philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, and philanthropy's role in democratic governance.
    

2. Nonprofit and Community Leadership — What makes nonprofit and philanthropic organizations effective? I study the leadership and organizational strategies that shape collaboration, innovation, advocacy, and community impact.
    

3. Public Engagement & Advocacy — How nonprofits use moral framing and storytelling to mobilize communities, shape policy debates, and deepen civic participation across social media and digital platforms.
    

4. AI & Governance — How emerging AI tools are reshaping the public and nonprofit sectors, from large language models for text analysis and government chatbots responding to citizen concerns, to strategic frameworks for responsible technological transformation.

 

A critical aspect of my work examines inequality in the process of change making— in who holds philanthropic power, whose communities receive resources, and whose voices shape public problem-solving. My scholarship aims to advance a more democratic, community-centered understanding of social change.

 

Explore My Work

I invite you to explore my ongoing and published work below: