Her research examines the interplay of politics, policy, and social inequality. In current projects, Rigby studies the representation of the poor across state legislatures, public opinion regarding health disparities, and other forms of social inequality, and the political dynamics surrounding enactment and implementation of federal health care reform. Her research has been published in a range of journals including: Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,Policy Studies Journal, and,Political Research Quarterly. Rigby holds a Ph.D. (with distinction) in Politics and Education from Columbia University. In addition, she received post-doctoral training in population health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar.