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Curriculum Vitae
Dedicated and passionate policy and data analyst whose heart belongs in public service. Experienced in professional and academic analytics, program evaluation, tax and fiscal policy, and human service. Excellent communicator with a drive to contribute in collaborative environments.
Areas of Expertise
Economics
Policy
Statistics
-Tax and Fiscal Policy
-Program Evaluation
-Public Policy Analysis
-Public Financial Management
-Health Policy
-Political Economy
-Finance and Investment
-Housing Policy
-Government Financials and Budgets
-Economics and Business Regulation
-Healthcare
-Human Services
-Poverty
-Disability Policy
-Antitrust
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-R
-Tableau
-Stata
-Big Data Analytics
-Data Visualization
-Machine Learning
-Econometrics
-Probability Models
-Causal Inference
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Education
PhD — Public Policy
Research Emphasis in Tax Policy and Antitrust Policy.
Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky.
MPP — Masters of Public Policy
Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky.
Emphasis in program evaluation
Bachelor’s of Arts — Journalism
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
Graduating Summa Cum Laude
Bachelor’s of Science — Political Science
University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences
Graduating Summa Cum Laude
Professional Experience
Data Analyst and Consultant
KDS inc.
2018-2021
Consulting services for small and medium size businesses, non-profits, and government. Specialize in performance optimization and empirical evaluation/analysis through data analytics.
Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant
Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration, University of Kentucky
2016-2021
Assisted professors at the Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration in academic research, State Bureau reports, and teaching master’s level courses in Public Administration. Analyzed data from large datasets constructed through data exploration and gathering. Evaluation of outcomes from changes in competitive markets and public policy.
Political Analyst
Kentucky Kernel
2013-2015
Go-to employee for political inquiries, explanations, and clarification. Analyzed how laws, proposals, or ideas would affect the University of Kentucky and UK students. Advised others on how current issues relate to current and proposed policy. Wrote weekly political column, taking on the tough issues focusing on how the issues affect college students, making the issues easy to understand allowing students to be better informed. Coverage included on-camera interviews with Jim Gray, Andy Barr, and Matt Bevin.
Political Reporting Intern
Lexington Herald-Leader
Summer 2014
Assisted the HL in covering the day to day events of the 2014 US House and Senate races, won by Rep. Andy Barr and Sen. Mitch McConnell. Covered then current political and policy issues with reprinted stories statewide. Issues included the Common Core education standards, student debt, FEMA grants for the Lexington-Fayette Urban-County Government, opioids and development in Appalachian Kentucky.
Public Image Coordinator, Public Policy Advisor
Chris Stewart for Congress
2012 Election
Coordinated and organized a network of volunteers, interns, and county and city party officials in carrying out campaign operations including: distribution of tens of thousands of units of campaign literature and marketing, organizing campaign events, organizing public outreach, organizing Get Out The Vote efforts. Constructed campaign reports on current policy issues including: tax policy and tax reform, ACA healthcare reform and medicaid expansion, Common Core Education Standards, and public lands use in Utah and the Western United States.
Research and Publications
Municipal Tax Structures
Developed an original economic model to frame the potential effects of globalization trends on state and municipal taxation structures. Empirically tested the model using Walmart store openings to determine their effect on property and sales tax structures for host municipalities. Empirical paper accepted for presentation at three major conferences
- Accepted for Presentation and discussion at 2019 APPAM conference 'Taxation in the Modern World' panel.
- Accepted for Presentation at 2019 ABFM conference.
- Accepted for Presentation at 2020 ASPA conference.
Full length journalism genre book detailing the social, cultural, political, and religious reasons younger Americans no longer attend religious services. A blend of religious scholarship and philosophy with psychology and pop culture/current events to help audiences understand the way Millennials and Gen Z view religion. Publication expected Spring 2020.
Lead researcher and investigative reporter for the project to be published in March, 2020. Project includes lead author (Matt Jones, host of Kentucky Sports Radio) travelling to all 120 counties in Kentucky to tell a story of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s impact on the state. In this project my duties are all investigative and research needs for the book. This includes detailed background and history of McConnell’s entire political career, as well as investigating events in all 120 counties. Using data of all types my responsibility is to investigate how issues that have been prominent in each county have been, or could have been, addressed by McConnell, and what his role may have been in leading up to issues. The lead author then travels to each county to talk about the issues with everyday Kentuckians.
Simon and Schuster https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Mitch-Please!/Matt-Jones/9781982142049
Coverage includes areas similar to research, including taxation, fiscal policy, financial management, and government appropriations events. In addition to covering the 2014 Senate and House races for the Lexington Herald-Leader, I also helped cover the 2015 Governor’s race for the Kentucky Press Association through the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media. Stories also written in areas reflecting professional experience, and general political current events. Stories range from complex analysis of financial events and issues—such as student debt crisis, government debt limits, or tax reform—to general reporting on current events, including opioids and election coverage.
Special Projects
Audience Profiles for Lexington Community Radio
Reporting Beats
Constructed detailed beat notes for reporters at Lexington Community Radio to assist in understanding community needs and demographics. Compiled detailed census tract level data for every area served by Lexington Community Radio and distilled the data into easy to understand snapshots of each beat in order to provide an understanding of each community.
As a research assistant at the Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration, being assigned to a grant from Frankfort, constructed extensive reports on policy issues. Thoroughly researched, compiled, analyzed, and advised on issues including affordable housing, zoning, medically fragile individuals, individuals dually diagnosed with developmental or intellectual disability and mental illness, alternative care options, health policy outcomes.
As a research assistant at the Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration, being assigned to a grant from Frankfort, constructed extensive reports on policy issues. Thoroughly researched, compiled, analyzed, and advised on issues including affordable housing, zoning, medically fragile individuals, individuals dually diagnosed with developmental or intellectual disability and mental illness, alternative care options, health policy outcomes.
Spearheaded a series of on camera interviews for the Kentucky Kernel with three politicians whose decisions had significant impact on students.
Mayor Jim Gray was interviewed to discuss plans for renovation of Rupp Arena, the Lexington Convention Center, and the proposed Town Branch Park. Other issues facing Lexington Residents were also discussed.
Representative Andy Barr was interviewed to discuss a range of issues including healthcare and the ACA, student debt, jobs and the economy, the government shutdown and debt limit crises, and a range of other issues important to University of Kentucky Students.
Future Governor Matt Bevin was interviewed to discuss his vision for Kentucky and the United States. A wide range of issues were discussed, including: taxation, education and the Common Core Standards, economic mobility, and college affordability.
Teaching
Teaching assistant for Dwight Denison. Due to health, Dr Denison was unable to continue at the University of Kentucky. During his final semester on campus—Fall 2018—I was assigned as his Teaching Assistant. When he was unable to continue, it became my privilege to teach PA 632; Public Funds Management and PA 661; Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations. Both classes were taught to Master’s level students in the MPA and MPP programs.
Invited to guest lecture in the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media in several courses, including JOU 101, News Editing, Creative Writing, and Broadcast and Multimedia. Topics included covering financial markets, the basics of tax and fiscal policy, covering elections, and covering economics and business.
Advised and taught undergraduate students throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky who participated in the Student Congress held by The Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship. Taught and guided students in a simulated policy making session focused on pensions, public funds investment, budgeting and management, and other appropriate aspects of public finance and fiscal policymaking.
Awards and Cetifications
Public speaking competition advocating for policy change, participated in by college students throughout Kentucky and Indiana.
In order to better understand the impacts of the Affordable Care Act as it was being implemented and to advise policymakers on the impacts, health insurance licenses were acquired for five states with particularly complex medical and healthcare policy frameworks. For example, Minnesota and Wisconsin had unique network sharing policies; Massachusetts had unique out of pocket provisions and assistance; Pennsylvania had unique provision of care requirements.
Multiple semesters as a top 5 percent performing student while pursuing dual undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Journalism.