About

I am the author of The Power of a Promise: Education and Economic Renewal in Kalamazoo (W.E. Upjohn Institute, 2009), the first comprehensive account of the origins and initial impact of the Kalamazoo Promise. This blog is a venue for sharing my thoughts on the Kalamazoo Promise and programs modeled on it, especially as these have evolved since the publication of my book. It is also a place for dialogue with researchers, community leaders, and other individuals who care about these issues.

I come to this project as a writer and researcher who is committed to making her ideas (and those of others) accessible to a broad readership and to combining policy research with action and advocacy. I have developed this commitment through almost three decades of work in a variety of arenas, including academia, foundations, finance, publishing, and consulting. I am currently an assistant professor of political science at Grand Valley State University and a visiting scholar at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Also a mom (my most challenging and most important job). My full bio can be found here.

Please join me in exploring the many implications of the Kalamazoo Promise. I believe there is much to be learned from this experiment, much of it not yet well understood, and I look forward to thinking out loud in the company of others.