Hi, I’m Kayla.
Broadly focusing on political behavior, my research asks questions about how we develop our political attitudes and ideologies as well as how our race, gender, and class backgrounds influence these attitude formation processes. As such, my research falls primarily into two areas: 1) understanding the political socialization processes embedded in post-secondary education and 2) theorizing how gender, race, and class influence public opinion about relevant policy preferences, some of which include abortion, support for the January 6th insurrection, and rights for transgender individuals.
As of August 2025, I am an Assistant Teaching Professor at Northeastern University. I completed my PhD in Political Science from the University of Southern California in May 2025, also earning a graduate certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Additionally, I have a Master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from USC and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Theology from Fordham University, where I graduated summa cum laude.
Prior to starting my PhD I worked at TED-Ed, the educational branch of TED Talks, which helped to spark my passion for education in all forms. When I’m not staring at code or thinking deeply about gendered socialization, I enjoy playing beach volleyball, watching football (go birds), practicing for my eventual Jeopardy debut, and backpacking through as many places as possible.