About Me

I am a Senior Lecturer of Criminology at the University of Adelaide, Executive Counselor of the American Society of Criminology's Division on International Criminology, and Vice Chair of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences' International Section. I also hold appointments as a Non-Resident Research Associate at the Rutgers University Center on Public Security, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National and International Security in Serbia, and the Addressing Violent Extremism & Radicalisation to Terrorism (AVERT) Network. I completed my Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology, with an Option in Terrorism Studies, at the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2019.

My current research interests focus primarily on illicit networks, including gangs, terrorist organizations, and cartels. I study the factors that cause individuals to engage in terrorist activity, extremist propaganda, the dynamics of conflict, and collective violence perpetrated by both extremist organizations and criminal street gangs. My research has been featured in leading journals, including Crime & Delinquency, Critical Studies on Terrorism, Criminal Justice & Behavior, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, Race & Justice, Terrorism & Political Violence, and Victims & Offenders. In addition, I have been quoted by various media outlets, including Rolling Stone [link] and on televised broadcasts.

I also have extensive experience in funded research. I managed the finances for a $2.4 million NSF grant at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. In graduate school, I managed the day-to-day operations of a ~$800,000 Department of Defense Minerva grant investigating the physiological impact of exposure to extremist propaganda. Since graduating, I have been the lead investigator on multiple projects since, including some funded by the National Institute of Justice and the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center for my gangs research.

Outside academia, I spent one year working as a Research Analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office where I worked on several engagements, mostly focusing on GAO's defense portfolio. My research was presented to the U.S. Congress and directly resulted in cost-savings to the American taxpayer. This experience further refined my methodological expertise and the applications of a broad range of mixed methods approaches to applied evaluation research.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, exploring the outdoors, and watching movies; political thrillers are always a win. I am always ready to explore new places, travel the world, and try new cuisines. I love all things Disney (but Mickey and Stitch are by far my favorites). Running is a hobby of mine; I ran my first marathon in January 2022 at Walt Disney World and have completed several endurance challenges since. I am very passionate about music and art; I performed in the world premiere of Jan Van der Roost's Dances of Innocence and still enjoy playing the flute and piccolo in my spare time. I am a proud dog dad to Jaanu and Nala, the best pups in the world!