She earned her Ph.D. in Musicology from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, where she also completed an MA in Ethnomusicology and a Graduate Certificate from the Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. Her current book project examines the work of queer and trans artists of color in hip-hop. She has published and forthcoming articles in the journals American Music, Journal of the Society for American Music, and Popular Music and Society. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in American popular music, especially hip-hop.