She received a dual Ph.D. in political science and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Prior to studying at Penn State, she worked as a research assistant at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. and received her B.A. from Roanoke College in Salem, VA. Dr. Whitesell’s research lies at the intersection of representation and public policy, with a focus on how marginalized populations are represented in the American political system.