She has authored and edited a wide number of books and articles about social enterprise, including being the editor of Shaping Social Enterprise: Understanding Institutional Context and Influence (Emerald Insight, 2017). Kerlin holds an MS in social work from Columbia University and a PhD in political science from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Prior to joining Georgia State University, Kerlin was a research associate in the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.