CURRENT INTERESTS
My current research interests center on understanding issues of belonging and citizenship and how those notions are shaped by the realities of how public policies are implemented. I'm interested in working on applied work that is committed to making relatively new tools (like carbon markets and migration partnerships) work better for ordinary people, including women. I continue to support initiatives that increase low-income people's (especially women's) incomes.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCES & POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
What are the healthcare experiences of ordinary people over time? Can we better understand their decisions to seek care, their experiences receiving it, their understanding of their treatment, their costs for each step, and their ultimate outcomes? I am particularly interested in understanding the actual experiences of women seeking maternal healthcare and in assessing ordinary people's experiences in Kenya with Linda Mama and UHC pilots.
DIGITALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP
The digitization of government services--like applications for ID and birth certificates--is meant to introduce new efficiencies. What does the experience entail for ordinary citizens, especially women, who historically have shouldered much of the burden of navigating government bureaucracy for their children?
CHAMAS & CHANGE
The usage of informal finance clubs -- chamas -- increases with wealth in Kenya. These groups are a critical lifeline for growing businesses, not just small vendors. In this research, we study 150 higher income Kenyan business people in 50 chamas in Nakuru and Nairobi to understand what these groups are doing to support business growth. What innovations have these self-help finance clubs introduced that are delivering real value for members?