I'm a lecturer in Public Policy and Technology at the Public Policy Institute Te Whare Marea Tātari Kaupapa (PPI) in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau (UoA), here in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.

I have been a Research & Policy Lead at an NGO working in digital equity & tech policy. Before that, I was also a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the PPI at UoA, researching approaches to address systemic gendered effects in public sector budgets.

In 2020 I completed my PhD in Public Policy at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, studying online political participation as part of my wider interest in the intersection of technology and the social & political.

My background is as a Sociologist (tho my first degree was in Astrophysics!), with particular foci on online political & social behaviour, technology policy, gender, and politics, having studied previously at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha.

I've lectured courses on Public Policy, Politics, Gender, and Sociological Theory, worked as a research assistant, a graduate assistant, and I've been a teaching-assistant/tutor in too many courses to count off the top of my head (I've even worked in financial legislative compliance outside academia!).

Basically, I'm a big nerd. Seriously.

I'm a feminist, introvert, geek, lesbian, politics-junkie, pākehā, Apple-fangirl, urban-space & urban-design addict, car-free, train-loving, espresso-holic, who is often out on her (fully electric!) motorbike just for the joy of riding.

I have a love for my Kobo ereader, mid-century & scandi interior design, local history museums, public transport, comic books, small apartments, neo-impressionist art galleries, not living car-dependently, Wonder Woman & Captain Marvel, wood floors, SF/F/UF, quiet icy-cold early mornings with my breath misting, Star Trek & Star Wars, cheeses that don't come in 1kg cubes, anything pickled, craft beer, red wine, electric motorcycles & EVs, and IKEA. Let me have a nice long transit, tram, or train ride and I'm in my happy place.

I suck at flirting, small-talk, dating, networking, icebreaker-activities (hate!), unstructured social events, and I probably drink way too much coffee. I'm a dork and will most likely find some way to embarrass myself.

I've lived in the Netherlands, the United States (Chicago!), and Aotearoa New Zealand.