She was previously an assistant professor in the department of Geography and Planning at Appalachian State University. She holds a PhD in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master's Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. She has published research on affordable housing, gentrification, segregation, “shrinking” cities, as well as co-edited The Affordable Housing Reader. Dr. Tighe’s work focuses on issues related to affordable housing, social justice, and equitable development, and attempts to achieve two main goals: 1. To bridge the gap between academic research and practice through sound research methods and data analysis techniques; and 2. To promote a greater emphasis on and understand of racial and class equity among researchers, policy-makers, and planners.