I hold a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews. 
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My doctoral thesis, funded by the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews, focused on the phenomenon of Salafi-Jihadist rebel governance in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. 
Building on that initial research, I have published with Columbia University Press the book Inside Salafi-Jihadist Governance: The Strategies and Characteristics of Islamist Insurgent Rule.
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Over the past few years, I have been working as research consultant on a variety of projects for humanitarian and human rights organizations. Currently, I work as Senior Program Manager for Research at Free the Slaves, a non-governmental organization dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking.
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My work focuses broadly on non-state armed groups, rebel governance, rebel-civilian relations, child trafficking, and child labor. Further academic interests of mine include climate change and its impacts on human rights and on conflict dynamics.
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