About Me

I am a Doctoral Candidate in Sociology at Brown University and a 2025-26 National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellow.

In my dissertation project, I examine the sociocultural world of Black elites. Drawing on interviews with families based in cities across the United States and participant observational data in social and professional spaces in New York City and on Martha’s Vineyard, I show how well-resourced Black families build social worlds and strategize for their children’s futures. This project has been recognized by Eastern Sociological Society’s 2025  Rose L. Coser Dissertation Proposal Award and Charles V. Willie Graduate Student Award.

Prior to graduate school, I was an English Teacher, Soccer and Track & Field Coach, and Dorm Parent at Deerfield Academy. Born and raised in an insular, predominantly white “enclave” of Brooklyn, NY, I developed a unique perspective on cultural dynamics and social inequality from an early age. These experiences continue to shape my research and teaching: I remain attuned to notions of Black agency and histories of access to opportunity, often asking which forms of knowledge, culture, and experience are valued, in which contexts, and why.