Events and Promotions Intern University of Utah Student Media
May 2016 - Aug 2016
Field Training Representative BGZ brands™
Apr 2016 - Apr 2017
Account Planner The AdThing at the University of Utah
May 2017 - Aug 2017
Marketing Intern Avalaunch Media
Apr 2017 - Jun 2018
Marketing Director The AdThing at the University of Utah
Jun 2018 - Aug 2025
Co-Founder Bow Tie Creamery
Aug 2019 - May 2024
Marketing PhD Student Washington University in St. Louis
Sep 2024 - Jun 2025
Postdoctoral Associate Ivey Business School at Western University
Aug 2025 - Present
Assistant Professor of Marketing MSU Jake Jabs College of Business
The jumbled pipeline of my research:
"How Incentives Help Us Do Hard Things First"
Discover how a little motivation can flip our natural tendency to
procrastinate on difficult tasks.
While people typically avoid tough jobs, adding an incentive makes them
more likely to tackle the hardest task first because they believe it is the most effective strategy
for success.
"Plant-Based vs. Meat-Based: A Comparative Sentiment Analysis of Consumer Reviews in
Fast Food Settings"
Are plant-based burgers actually better received than the originals?
Using AI-powered sentiment analysis on thousands of Yelp reviews, this
study finds that plant-based menu items earn significantly higher ratings and more positive
sentiment than meat-based controls.
"The Influence of Co-branded Custom Labeled Business Gifts on Brand Attitude: The
Mediating Role of Product Quality"
Why putting your logo on a high-quality gift might actually backfire.
This research reveals that custom co-branding can surprisingly lower a
recipient’s perception of a gift’s quality, though providing specific quality details can help
protect your brand’s reputation.
"The Effect of Initial Preference Elicitations on the Subsequent Acceptance of
Undesirable Items"
Can merely asking for your preference trick you into accepting something
you'd normally reject?
This study explores how the simple act of choosing between two items makes
consumers significantly more likely to later accept a bundle that includes a product they would
otherwise reject.
"Coupon Order Framing: The Effect of Buying vs. Getting"
Why the exact same deal feels better depending on which item is "free".
This research proves that a BOGO deal is much more enticing when the more
desirable product is the one you "get" for free, even though the total cost of the deal remains
identical.
"The Value of Surprise: People's Forecasts Overestimate the Pleasure Brought by
Surprises"
We all think surprises bring joy—so why don't we actually want them for
ourselves?
This work uncovers a fascinating psychological asymmetry: people
overestimate how much others enjoy being surprised while personally preferring to know what is
coming in advance.
