My Research

Despite the high levels of opportunity and mobility in our society, there are certain populations that continually find themselves at the bottom of the social stratification ladder with little to no improvement in their position over time. Too often, Black and Brown people and those living in poverty are overrepresented in these historically disenfranchised social positions. Government agencies have a responsibility to balance opportunities for success for all constituents; however, in many instances, administrators are forced to prioritize efficiency over equity in the distribution of resources and services. These leave a significant equity gap in observed outcomes between social groups in our society.

 Within this context, my research agenda intersects with public policy, health equity, and sociology. In all my projects, I seek to understand how social factors, such as race, socioeconomic status, and inequality, influence the efficacy of public policy initiatives and structures, especially for historically disenfranchised communities. An unintended policy gap occurs when public policy initiatives are implemented with an eye for equality instead of equity. My research seeks to illuminate this problem in contemporary public policy and highlight the administrative pitfalls of failing to recognize it, especially within the context of public health. Closing the gap between equality and equity requires public administrators to act creatively and enhance their administrative competence to anticipate and meet the needs of everyone they serve effectively, especially when government resources fall short of socially just expectations.