PhD Student Bios




Abarcar, Paolo
Name: Abarcar, Paolo
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:pabarcar@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2010
 


Biography:
Paolo Abarcar graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines with a BA in Economics-Honors and Development Studies in 2007. Before coming to Michigan, he worked for two years as a research assistant at the Center for Global...[more]


Beam, Emily
Name: Beam, Emily
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:ebeam@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Winter 2008
 


Biography:
Emily Beam is a Ph.D. candidate in economics and public policy studying development and labor economics. She received her B.S. in economics, mathematics, and Spanish (2006) and a M.A. in economics (2008) from the University of Michigan. Her research ...[more]


Fitzpatrick, Anne
Name: Fitzpatrick, Anne
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:fitza@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Anne Fitzpatrick is a doctoral student in Economics and Public Policy. She graduated from Cornell University in 2005, where she majored in Industrial and Labor Relations. After graduation she worked at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Her...[more]


Garlick, Robert
Name: Garlick, Robert
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:rgarlick@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2007
 


Biography:
Robert Garlick studied at the University of Cape Town, majoring in economics, mathematics and philosophy and obtaining a masters degree in economics. His research interests are in development economics, labor economics and microeconometrics, with a...[more]


Gilbert, Laurien
Name: Gilbert, Laurien
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:legilb@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Laurien Gilbert graduated with honors from Brown University with a BA in Economics in 2011. Before coming to Michigan, she worked as a research assistant in the Industrial Relation Section at Princeton University for a year. Her interests include...[more]


Godlonton, Susan
Name: Godlonton, Susan
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:susgod@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2006
 


Biography:
Susan Godlonton's research focuses primarily on health and labor issues in developing countries. Her work on labor economics focuses on job search and employee effort. Her job market paper examines the impact of job uncertainty on job search effort, ...[more]


Hamilton, Steven
Name: Hamilton, Steven
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:steveham@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Steven Hamilton received a first-class Honours degree in Economics from the University of Queensland in Australia in 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he worked at the Australian Treasury on a range of policy issues such as the federal budget, the...[more]


Hernández, Mónica
Name: Hernández, Mónica
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:monihern@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Mónica Hernández is a Ph.D. student in Economics and Public Policy studying the economics of education and development. Her research interests include childcare programs and the interaction between personality traits and economics. She received her...[more]


Hyman, Joshua
Name: Hyman, Joshua
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:jmhyman@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2007
 


Biography:
Joshua Hyman is a doctoral candidate in economics and public policy with interests in labor economics, the economics of education, and public finance. His research examines the long-term impacts of educational interventions during childhood and...[more]


Lee, Jieun
Name: Lee, Jieun
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:leejieun@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Growing up in both the US and South Korea, Jieun Lee developed an early interest in international relations and interdisciplinary studies. She received a B.A. (2008) in International Relations and a B.B.A. (2008) in Business Administration from Ewha ...[more]


Lim, Katherine
Name: Lim, Katherine
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:katielim@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2010
 


Biography:
Katherine Lim received a B.A. in mathematics and economics from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She worked as a research assistant at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in Washington D.C. before coming to Michigan. Her current...[more]


Litten, Andrew
Name: Litten, Andrew
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:alitten@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Andrew Litten graduated from Emory University May 2004 with a BBA. He will received an MPP from The University of Chicago in June 2011. He worked as an intern in Washington as an Analyst. He also worked in the private sector on taxation issues for...[more]


Montgomery, Nicholas James
Name: Montgomery, Nicholas James
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:nmontgom@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2003
 


Biography:
Nicholas Montgomery received his B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Franklin & Marshall College. While at F&M, Nicholas contributed to the design and sample selection of a city-wide survey measuring attitudes about policing in Lancaster, PA. ...[more]


Murphy, Daniel
Name: Murphy, Daniel
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:dpmurphy@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2007
 


Biography:
Dan Murphy received his B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Notre Dame in 2004. His undergraduate thesis was, “Playing Out Conflict in Northern Ireland: Negotiations Between Republicans, Unionists, and Great Britain.” Prior...[more]


Streich, Francie
Name: Streich, Francie
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:fstreich@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Francie Streich received her B.A. in economics at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Before attending the University of Michigan, Francie worked as a research associate at the Spencer Foundation. Francie is interested in public economics...[more]


Theoharides, Caroline
Name: Theoharides, Caroline
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:cbtheo@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Caroline Theoharides is a Ph.D. candidate in economics and public policy at the University of Michigan. In 2006, Caroline earned her undergraduate degree in economics from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Prior to commencing her graduate studies, ...[more]


Thompson, Hope
Name: Thompson, Hope
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:hopet@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Hope Thompson graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2009 with a double major in Economics and Contemporary European Studies. She then worked for two years at RTI-International in the Public Health Economics Program before coming to Michigan, where she...[more]


Toohey, Desmond
Name: Toohey, Desmond
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Economics
Email:dtoohey@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Desmond Toohey got his start in economics at the University of Maryland, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and government. After graduating from Maryland, he went on to become a research assistant at the Urban Institute, studying...[more]


Barnes, Carolyn
Name: Barnes, Carolyn
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:cybarnes@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Carolyn Barnes is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include political behavior among low income populations and trends in social welfare policy administration in the urban...[more]


Beatty, Alison
Name: Beatty, Alison
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:azbeatty@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Alison Beatty graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas in 2012 with a B.S. in International Political Economy. Her research interests revolve around interstate competition for foreign direct investment and the developing role of U.s. states...[more]


Bray, Janna Paige
Name: Bray, Janna Paige
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:jpbray@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2005
 


Biography:
Janna Bray graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Political Science. Before Coming to graduate school, she worked as a research assistant at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Janna’s research focuses on the...[more]


Ellis, Cali
Name: Ellis, Cali
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:cmortens@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Cali Mortenson Ellis is a PhD candidate in Public Policy and Political
Science. She has a BA in economics from Bates College and an MPP from
the University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.
Prior to joining the ...[more]


Gause, LaGina
Name: Gause, LaGina
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:laginag@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2010
 


Biography:
LaGina Gause is a Joint PhD student in Public Policy and Political Science at the University of Michigan. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Howard University in 2006. Her interests include social policy issues concerning low-income...[more]


Gong, Abe
Name: Gong, Abe
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:agong@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Abe Gong is a doctoral fellow in the Center for the Study of Complex Systems, with a Masters in Public Policy from the Ford School, a B.A. in Communications from Brigham Young University, and minors in Japanese, business, and math. His research...[more]


Guha, Sourav
Name: Guha, Sourav
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:sguha@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2007
 


Biography:
Sourav Guha is a PhD candidate in the Joint Doctoral Program in Public Policy and Political Science. His research interests revolve around the environmental policy arena, with particular attention to policies and outcomes in the United States and...[more]


Hemphill, Portia
Name: Hemphill, Portia
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:raportia@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Portia Hemphill, a native of Chicago, IL, received her B.A. (with dual honors) from Wesleyan University in 2007. Immediately thereafter, she became a Corps member of Teach For America, serving as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools for two years....[more]


No Photo Available
Name: Kabo, Valenta Loraine
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:vhardima@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2004
 


Biography:
Valenta Kabo is a PhD Candidate in the Joint Program of Political Science and Public Policy. Prior to matriculating in the PhD program, Valenta obtained a Master's degree in Public Policy, in the course of which, she concentrated on Economics and...[more]


Phoenix, Davin Lanier
Name: Phoenix, Davin Lanier
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:dphoenix@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Summer 2005
 


Biography:
Davin Phoenix is a native of Virginia’s peninsula coast. Davin graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2005 with a B.A. in political science. He is both a Rackham Merit and National Science Foundation Fellow. Davin’s research interests...[more]


Potter, Rachel Augustine
Name: Potter, Rachel Augustine
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:rapotter@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Rachel Augustine Potter is a Ph.D. student in the joint program in political science and public policy. Her research interests include the bureaucracy and American political institutions more broadly. Prior to her arrival in Ann Arbor, she earned a ...[more]


Ravanilla, Nico
Name: Ravanilla, Nico
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:rnico@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Nico Ravanilla received a BS Economics and an MA Economics at the University of the Philippines‐Diliman. Prior to coming to Michigan, Nico worked as a research analyst at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, as a consultant at the ...[more]


Ravishankar, Anita
Name: Ravishankar, Anita
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:anitarav@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Anita Ravishankar graduated from Georgetown University in 2009 with a major in Science, Technology, and International Security and a certificate in African Studies. She subsequently worked at CNA, a research institute in Alexandria, VA, where she...[more]


Reynolds, Molly
Name: Reynolds, Molly
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:mollyer@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Molly Reynolds entered the PhD program in political science and public policy in 2009. Her research focuses on Congress and legislative politics, with an emphasis on how legislative organization, rules, and procedures affect domestic policy...[more]


Seago, Laura
Name: Seago, Laura
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Political Science
Email:laseago@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2010
 


Biography:
Laura Seago holds an AB with honors from the University of Chicago with concentrations in International Studies and Latin American Studies. While at Chicago, she was awarded the university’s Human Rights Internship to work with coffee producers in...[more]


Alemu, Matthew
Name: Alemu, Matthew
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:mwalemu@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Matthew Alemu completed his B.S. in Accounting at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans in 2006. Afterwards, he received his MPP from the University of Michigan in 2009. Before returning to U of M in Fall 2012, Matthew worked as a policy...[more]


Cheng, Siwei
Name: Cheng, Siwei
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:chengsw@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2012
 


Biography:
Siwei Cheng graduated with B.A. in Economics and B.Sc. in Statistics from Peking University, China. She is currently a PhD candidate in Public Policy and Sociology and a trainee at the Population Studies Center at the University of Michigan, where...[more]


Liu, Airan
Name: Liu, Airan
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:airanliu@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Airan Liu received a BA in Sociology and Economics from Beijing University in July 2011. She won a GuangHua Scholarship from Peking University in 2010, and Li and Fung Scholarship in 2008. She took a class with Professor Xie Yu in the Department of...[more]


Morrell, Erica
Name: Morrell, Erica
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:eblom@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2009
 


Biography:
Erica Morrell's research examines political contention and the politics of knowledge concerning human interventions with natural resources and the environment. She utilizes comparative-historical and qualitative methods to explore these issues. She...[more]


Peachey, Everett
Name: Peachey, Everett
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:epeachey@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Everett Peachey is a third-year student in the Joint PhD program in Public Policy and Sociology. He is both a Rackham Merit and National Science Foundation Fellow and a trainee at the Population Studies Center. His research interests lie primarily...[more]


Rochmes, Jane
Name: Rochmes, Jane
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:jrochmes@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2008
 


Biography:
Jane Rochmes is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Sociology and a trainee in Social Demography at the Population Studies Center. She received a BA in Sociology from Rice University in 2006. Jane’s research interests are race/ethnicity,...[more]


Turner, Kennedy
Name: Turner, Kennedy
Degree:PhD in Public Policy & Sociology
Email:turkenne@umich.edu
Term Admitted:Fall 2011
 


Biography:
Kennedy Turner received a BA in Political Science from Howard University in May 2011. She held a research internship at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and she has participated in the Ronald E. McNair and Public Policy Intentional...[more]