Rachel is a program specialist with the Africa program at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Rachel joined USIP as full time staff after one year as a graduate student research assistant with the Africa team. Prior to joining USIP, Rachel worked with the Initiatives Team in the President’s Office at Georgetown University.

Rachel specializes in the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic, working with the Africa team and USIP’s IMPACT initiative. Her research interests include extremist violence, democracy and governance in Africa, hybrid authoritarian regimes and identity narratives.

Rachel holds a Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution with concentrations in African Politics and Terrorism from Georgetown University, with some coursework completed through the University of Maryland National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and French Language & Literature from the University of Chicago, with some coursework completed through the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris.