I am an urban economist specializing in local public finance, with a secondary interest in applied/spatial econometrics and labor economics. I earned my Ph.D. degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My primary research interest focuses on understanding the distortionary effects of jurisdictional tax differences on economic activity and local competition. Other research focuses on the pricing strategies of gasoline retailers within markets. In addition, I am an enthusiastic educator who wants to foster the critical thinking of my students using assignments that require analysis and integration of concepts.