Our Contributors

The (Co)Action Lab invites experts from around the world to share their successes and challenges with addressing economic and social problems. Our contributors include practitioners, storytellers, and scholars who have dedicated their careers to making lives better in their regions and beyond.

Ben Muldrow
Areas of Expertise:

Economic Development • Branding • Community Engagement • Downtown Revitalization • Historic Preservation • Innovation

Education & Certifications:

University of South Carolina-Greenville, BA in Advertising

Partner, Arnett Muldrow & Associates
USA
Dr. Demetra Paparounas
Areas of Expertise:

Economics • Business • Economic Development

Education & Certifications:

University of Piraeus, (Greece), Bachelors in Economics • Suffolk University, Masters in Human Resources Management • University of Massachusetts - Lowell, Masters in Economic and Social Development • Northeastern University, PhD in Law and Public Policy
Dr. Glaucia Peres da Silva
Areas of Expertise:

Economic Sociology • Music markets • World Music • Transnational and Global Markets • Relation of Local and Global Cultural Production

Education & Certifications:

University of Duisburg-Essen • Universidade de Sao Paulo, M. phil in Sociology • Humboldt University Berlin, Dr. phil in Sociology

Germany
Dr. Inga Rademacher
Areas of Expertise:

Income • Corporate and Consumer Taxation in the U.S. and Germany • Tax Competition in the Euro Zone • Redistribution • Fiscal Crises and Financialization

DAAD Fellow, European and International Studies Department, King's College London
England
Dr. Julia Tomassetti
Areas of Expertise:

Work Law • Contract Law • Employment Rights • Legal Identity of Work Relationships • Digital Platform Work • Economic Sociology • Political Economy of Contemporary Capitalism

Education & Certifications:

Harvard University, JD • University of California - Los Angeles, PhD in Sociology

Assistant Professor of Law, City University of Hong Kong
China
Dr. Mauricio Reinert
Areas of Expertise:

Economic Sociology • Sociology of Markets • Morality and Markets • Innovation, Knowledge and Markets • Health and Markets • Research Methodology • Research Ethics

Education & Certifications:

São Paulo School of Business Administration – Getúlio Vargas Foundation (EAESP-FGV), PhD in Business • Federal University of Paraná, Msc in Business • FAE Business School, BA in Business

Associate Professor, Maringá State University Business School
Brazil
Dr. May Zuleika Salao
Areas of Expertise:

Skill Formation • Creative Industries • Decentralized Governance • Institutional Change

Education & Certifications:

University of the Philippines, PhD in Philippine Studies

Director, Program in Political Economy of the School of Law and Governance, University of Asia and the Pacific
Philippines
Dr. Nancy S. Lee
Areas of Expertise:

Environmental Economics • Small Business Development

Education & Certifications:

Rutgers University, BS in Environmental and Business Economics • Rutgers University, MS in Agricultural Economics • Washington State University, PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Economics, Regional Planning, Natural Resource Management)

USA
Dr. Neenah Estrella-Luna
Areas of Expertise:

Social Justice • Environmental Justice • Whiteness • History and contemporary issues in US race relations (law and policy perspective) • Social inequity, especially as rooted in law and policy • Community based/ participatory action research • Diversity, inclusion, and belonging in higher education • Most issues related to social science education in higher education, especially in relation to law and social policy

Education & Certifications:

California State University - Los Angeles, BS in Community Health • Boston University, MPH (Public Health) • Northeastern University, PhD, Law & Public Policy

Visiting Associate Professor, Salem State University
USA
Dr. Pieta Blakely
Areas of Expertise:

Workforce Development • Data Management • Evaluation Systems • Policy Consulting

Education & Certifications:

Brown University, BA in Organizational Behavior and Management • Boston University, MS in Administration • Harvard University, MEd (Education) in Teaching and Learning • Brandeis University, PhD in Social Policy

USA
Dr. Thomas Prosser

Wales, United Kingdom
Dr. Torsten Kathke
Areas of Expertise:

American History • History and Culture

Education & Certifications:

Ludwig-Maximilans Universität - München, MA in Amerikanische Kulturgeschichte / Amerikanische Literaturgeschichte / Theaterwisseschanft • Ludwig-Maximilans Universität - München, PhD in Amerikanische Kulturgeschichte

Germany
Dr. Tracy A. Corley
Areas of Expertise:

Economic Justice • Social Inclusion • Entrepreneurship • Self-Employment • Small Business • Labor Market • Local Economy • Informality

Education & Certifications:

Clemson University, BA in Architecture Design • Northeastern University, MS in Public Policy • Northeastern University, PhD in Law and Public Policy

Editor-in-Chief, The (Co)Action Lab
USA
Erik Fruth
Areas of Expertise:

Agriculture and Food Systems • Sustainability and Governance • Environmental Impact Assessment • Ecosystem Services • Social Justice

Education & Certifications:

California Lutheran University • Technische Universität Berlin, Master's Candidate in Environmental Planning

Fulbright researcher, International Water Management Institute, Lao PDR
Laos
Sandra Larson, MS
Areas of Expertise:

Journalist covering urban and social issues including early education disparities, housing, community economic development, cooperative economy models

Education & Certifications:

University of Wisconsin - Madison, BS in Conservation Biology • Harvard University, ALM in Journalism • Northeastern University, MS in Urban and Regional Policy

Managing Editor and Community Manager, (Co)Action Lab • Freelance Journalist
USA
Sima Mousavi, JD

USA
Steve Gerritson, MPA
Areas of Expertise:

Economic Development • Clean Technology • Environmental Science

Education & Certifications:

University of Massachusetts - Amherst, BA in Political Science • Princeton University, MPA in International Relations and Economics
Tripp Muldrow, MCRP
Areas of Expertise:

Urban and Regional Planning • Small Cities • Economic Development

Education & Certifications:

Clemson University, MCRP (City and Regional Planning) and English

USA
Vijayeta Singh
Areas of Expertise:

Extractive Industries • Land Grabs • Displacement • Human Rights

Education & Certifications:

Guru Nanak Dev University, BS in Business Administration • Tata Institute of Social Sciences, MA in Social Entrepreneurship • Northeastern University, PhD Candidate in Law and Public Policy

USA
Yingchan Zhang
Areas of Expertise:

User Experience Research • Ethnography

Education & Certifications:

University of Massachusetts - Lowell, MA in Regional Economic and Social Development • Northeastern University, MA in Sociology • Northeastern University, PhD Candidate in Sociology

USA