I recently finished my statistics PhD at North Carolina State University where I studied under Hua Zhou and Eric Chi. Before coming to Raleigh, NC, I was extremely fortunate to have worked for four years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond as a research assistant in the research department. Working as an RA within the Fed system is a great experience in normal times, but doing so during the financial crisis was unbelievable. To top it off, my responsibilities during the first three years there included providing research support to bank President Jeffrey Lacker and senior policy advisers.

While in Richmond, I also took several math classes at Virginia Commonwealth University to better prepare myself for the rigors of grad school. Prior to living in Richmond, I attended Indiana University in the beautiful college town of Bloomington, IN. I earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in economics and political science.

When I am not studying, I enjoy being physically active, whether going for a run around Lake Johnson, lifting weights, or playing in a team sport. In November, 2014, I crossed an item off of my bucket list and ran in my first half marathon. I have also played on kickball and softball teams in the City of Raleigh recreational leagues. Previously, I played on several statistics department teams for the NCSU intramural sports, winning three championships. Not only do I love playing sports, but I enjoy watching them, too. Like anyone raised well in Indiana, I am a huge Indiana Hoosiers basketball fan. In addition to IU, I also closely follow the Indianapolis Colts, the Atlanta Braves, and the University of Georgia (which may seem a little random, but my dad is from Georgia).

Besides sports, my friends and family are my life, and I try to spend as much time with them as possible. In recent years, several of my close friends have had babies and words can’t describe how special it has been to watch their kids grow up.