Stich received her PhD from Virginia Tech's Center for Public Administration and Policy. She teaches Transportation, Globalization, Economic Development and Public Policy courses. Stich has conducted research and published extensively on topics surrounding transportation such as the importance of retaining and revitalizing rail; inland waterway infrastructure; airports as economic drivers; globalization and international trade; freight based economic development; intermodal development and planning; community development; industry recruitment and retention; sprawl; and citizen involvement.