She received a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley from the department of Social and Cultural Studies in Education. Her ethnographic research is on youth and conflict generally, with a focus on the reintegration of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. She has conducted research for UNICEF on transnational fosterage of war-affected youth in West Africa. She is the recipient of fellowships from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, The Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, and the American Association of University Women. She is the author of several book chapters and journal articles in the fields of youth studies, human rights, and African politics.