She received her PhD in Sociology and Master’s in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master’s in Urban Studies from Temple University. Her research focuses on urban neighborhoods, families, adolescent risk behavior, and social policy. Much of her social policy work has focused on the effects of housing mobility initiatives for low-income families in Philadelphia and Baltimore who have moved through HOPE VI and Moving to Opportunity. Coming of Age in the Other America, her book written with Stefanie DeLuca and Kathryn Edin, examines urban inequality through the experiences of young adults in Baltimore. In addition, she is working on a research project in which 150 teenagers in high-crime neighborhoods in Philadelphia were interviewed about their concerns about neighborhood safety and experiences with police.