Her research focuses on local government fiscal policies, debt administration, and nonprofit finance. Janey holds a PhD in Public Affairs from the Indiana University and earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Renmin University of China. She has published in various public and nonprofit administration journals including Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Municipal Finance Journal, Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting, & Financial Management, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and Journal of the Transportation Research Board. She has worked on funded projects supported by the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission, Kresge Foundation Advancing Knowledge Scholars Program, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Currently she is working on infrastructure finance project in China.