Garage Door

This page is a bit in the spirit of working with the garage door open. It exposes a little about myself and the projects I'm working on that are not directly related to academic research.

First, some tidbits about me. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the mission I served when I was 19 changed my life in profound ways.

First, that's how I met my wife. We are the proud parents of six kids.

Second, my experiences as a missionary made me interested in learning economics. Those experiences also led me to get a PhD in economics. And today, in addition to teaching at a university, I produce economics content online. You can find my work on YouTube at my channel Market Power. I also sometimes write about economics on my Market Power Newsletter.

Third, my mission is how I was introduced to Haiti. I served in Florida, but the Church asked me to work with Haitian immigrants. I learned to speak Haitian Creole, and today my research largely focuses on Haiti and its economic history. I also make YouTube videos about my experiences with Haiti and Haitian culture on my channel Blan Ki Pale Kreyòl. I also sometimes write publicly about economics around Haiti and adjacent topics at Vodou Economics.

While improving my Haitian Creole, I also actively work to speak French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

From March 2021 to October 2025, I trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I even competed in a few tournaments. Even though I don't train anymore, I think it's still worth posting this picture.

From October 2025 to April 2026, my family lived in Cotonou, Benin. We loved our time there, and I hope future updates to this page will describe the work I have been able to do with the country and its people.