As a Research Assistant for Dr. Eileen Babbitt and the Henry J. Leir Institute for Human Security, I produced rapid-response research briefs and detailed reports on state legitimacy and conflict transformation. Under the first project, Building State Legitimacy, my research focused on understanding the role of inclusion in perceptions of legitimacy and methodological approaches to measuring legitimacy. My research under the second project focused on analyzing opportunities for mitigating and resolving violent conflict in countries such as Yemen and North Korea.

Building on my previous work with the Institute, I conducted a research project on whether inclusive decision-making processes were a significant factor in determining a government’s legitimacy. I conducted the research in Chicago, IL, USA due to the legacy of corruption and exclusionary politics that parallel the dynamics in many post-conflict countries. This study culminated in my master’s thesis which argued that meaningful inclusion in policy-making processes was a significant factor determining the legitimacy of the Chicago City government from 1955 to 1976 and that machine politics in Chicago during this period undermined democratic processes. Online availability forthcoming.

I worked to support seven Search for Common Ground (SFCG) Nigeria programs in North Central and North East Nigeria through four main areas: project support, project reporting, business development, and special projects. These projects were related to inter-religious peacebuilding, youth and countering violent extremism, and human rights accountability.

The Network for Peacebuilding Evaluation is a community of experts that have come together to bridge the gap between academic research and peacebuilding practice. Our goal is to build upon the recent strides of the peacebuilding evaluation field and facilitate the creation and use of more innovative and effective tools.

Every two years Search for Common Ground invites all of its directors from around the world to Washington, DC, for an internal conference called Big Week. During the conference the organization focuses on how it can improve it’s programming around the world and overall, be a stronger organization. This year we had 80 participants from over 35 different countries. My role was to plan and coordinate all of the logistics associated with the conference as well as manage the budget and financial reporting. - Plan and coordinate all logistical arrangements for the conference venue including catering, event set up and lodging at multiple hotels- Distribute information and resources, answer questions and offer travel support to all participants- Manage conference budget composed of over 35 different grants and budgets- Draft final conference report and create Big Week handbook for future coordinators- Provide support to the Operations Department as needed

The Track II Mediation Unit conducts dynamic, multi-level processes to restore trust between conflicting parties, uncover areas of common interest and support official agreements and reconciliation. Unit activities are completely unofficial and include facilitated dialogues and "Track 1.5," or semi-official – activities such as back-channel talks and shuttle diplomacy. My role within the Unit is to assist the program by conducting research, editing proposals, creating budgets, and planning international events and conferences. - Brief staff on current events related to on-going programs and projects- Conduct rapid-response research for Track II programs on topics such as the insurgency by the Islamic State, Iranian sanctions, and humanitarian aid channels in the Middle East.- Contributed to grant proposals, funder updates, and other reports as needed by senior staff- Create program budgets and expense reports- Plan international events and conferences

Holland Systems is a consulting firm that specializes in SAP solution design and implementation. My role within the company was to work with another team member to develop the business’ outreach to new clients.- Created a database of potential SAP clients, including contact information for top executives- Researched and utilized existing resources to streamline business development process reducing time and cost for developing the database of potential SAP clients- Edited business development scripts for contacting potential clients

Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) is an international nonpartisan organization that works to foster the next generation of foreign policy leaders by offering its members various trainings, briefings as well as networking opportunities to connect people from across the field. My role in the organization was to conduct research for training modules and assist in writing YPFP publications. - Conducted research and wrote reports on various topics in foreign policy and the Millennial generation- Produced in-depth background briefs on various topics including the future of peacekeeping, nuclear proliferation, asymmetric threats, and the future of regional organizations- Worked in a team writing and editing YPFP publication on the foreign policy leader of the future

- Conducted background research and wrote brief summaries on various foreign policy topics including international organizations, peacekeeping and asymmetric threats- Analyzed online fundraising platforms and their usefulness to the organization- Wrote brief on the applicability of Google Grants for the organization

Organizing for America is a grassroots organization that sought to organize supporters for President Obama during the 2010 election. My role in the organization was to dedicate 15-20 hours per week to assist in organizing local volunteers into a grassroots network of supporters. - Planned and coordinated local canvasses including final Get Out the Vote efforts resulting in a record turnout in local precincts- Recruited and trained weekly volunteers for canvassing and phone banking- Organized neighborhood supporter groups to increase community involvement- Maintained daily records on VoteBuilder

The Truman National Security Project is a non-partisan organization that seeks to unite next-generation veteran, political, and policy leaders to develop and advance strong, smart and principled solution to the global challenges Americans now face. My role in the organization was to support the communications department with policy research as well as maintain the website blog and social media platforms. - Edited op-eds, blogs, and social media content for 60 national security experts- Maintained website blog and social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter- Analyzed political candidates’ positions and created policy memo briefings for Truman senior staff- Wrote in-depth research briefs on foreign policy issues including counterterrorism in Yemen and human rights violations in China- Conducted rapid-response research for policy professionals on energy security, foreign policy strategy and military and veterans issues