feature_row:

• image_path: /assets/images/Weller_fix_1.jpg

  excerpt: “ Welcome!
  
  I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at Emory University. In Fall 2026, I will join the Department of Political Science at The Pennsylvania State University as an Assistant Professor.
  
  

  My research examines how states govern through violence and non-state intermediaries, with a focus on criminal groups, militias, and other armed actors. I study how these relationships shape state capacity, democratic accountability, and civilian security across both historical and contemporary contexts.
  
  

  My work combines archival research, causal inference, and survey experiments, and draws on evidence from Mexico, British India, Northern Ireland, and Mozambique.

  
  
  Prior to joining Emory University, I received my B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina Asheville in 2020, where I was awarded the 2020 Big South Christenberry Award and was nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year. I am originally from Boulder, Colorado.”

---

url: “/about/”

# btn_class: "btn--primary"
# btn_label: "Explore my academic journey and research endeavors"