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PhD Student in Comparative Politics · University of Virginia
I'm a third-year Ph.D. student in Politics at the University of Virginia, specializing in Comparative Politics and Methods. My research examines church-state relations in the governance of violence against women in Brazil. I am a native of Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa! Growing up there exposed me both to the beauty and inequalities of life in a large metropolis. Community was always a central pillar in our home, and as a Christian, I learned lifelong principles and values that have deeply shaped my worldviews and relationships. This unique intersection of the sacred and the secular ultimately led me to pursue research on an issue that is profoundly close to my heart.
In my dissertation project, Where the Pulpit Meets the State, I investigate how Protestant churches and state actors coordinate responses to domestic violence, shaping reporting practices, victim support, and access to justice. My broader research agenda explores state capacity, bureaucratic coordination, and the role of non-state actors in public service delivery.
My work has been supported by multiple research grants, including Summer Graduate Research Grants from UVA Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (2024, 2025), funding from the UVA Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation, and the Karsh Institute's Local Equity and Democracy Initiative. I am a recipient of the Mark D. Brazeal Graduate Fellowship for Outstanding Academic Achievement and have conducted extensive fieldwork in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. I am also a Visiting Scholar at the Centro de Estudos e Administração Pública e Governo (CEAPG) hosted under the Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV EAESP).
Prior to starting this incredible (and humbling) PhD journey, I earned an MA in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, a BA in Government from Smith College, and an AA from Norwalk Community College.
My research broadly examines how states design and implement institutions to respond to violence against women, with particular attention to how political representation, bureaucratic capacity, and coordination across agencies shape policy effectiveness. I am interested in how gender-responsive policies move from legal mandates to everyday practice, especially in contexts marked by inequality and uneven state presence.
Within this broader agenda, I focus on Delegacias Especializadas de Atendimento à Mulher (DEAMs) in Brazil — specialized police stations created to support survivors of gender-based violence. I investigate how descriptive representation and local political dynamics influence the creation and functioning of these units, including whether women's political representation and party alignment across levels of government shape their adoption and performance. I also examine how interagency coordination among police, courts, health services, and social assistance networks affects victims' access to protection and justice. By combining municipal-level data with qualitative evidence, this research highlights how representation, institutional capacity, and coordinated service provision interact to strengthen — or constrain — gender-responsive governance.
View my research →I investigate how Protestant churches and state actors coordinate responses to domestic violence, shaping reporting practices, victim support, and access to justice.
Draft
Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Virginia
An introduction to leading theories in the field of international relations with reference to major events in the history of diplomacy, war, and economic relations in the East Asian region.
An introduction to Comparative Politics that surveys the major themes, theories, and methods of domestic politics around the globe in the modern era.
This course introduces key analytical concepts used by Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim in their analysis of how the development of modern society has shaped the nature of modern politics.
An overview of politics in Latin America, including the legacies of the colonial period, import-substituting industrialization and populism, transitions to democracy, and the performance of democratic institutions.
"I just wanted to say that I think you are a fantastic TA, and your passion and enthusiasm for the topic is obvious. You are a very bright and pleasant person to be around, and I actually looked forward to coming to your discussion section."
"Ingrid always listened to what we had to say during class and encouraged everyone to participate. It was a much more comfortable atmosphere than a lot of discussion sections I've had."
"Ingrid's discussion sections revolved around simulation activities, small group discussions, and discussions that were based around the active participation of the entire class. She gently corrects factual inaccuracies but strongly encourages us to express our own views."
Email: vxz3ch@virginia.edu
Department: Department of Politics, University of Virginia
