Kathleen (Kathy) Nganga is a scholar of American politics, with a focus on federalism, law, race, and local governance. Her dissertation, titled Contentious Tensions: How Local Governments Resist State Preemption, explores how local governments resist state intervention, drawing on interdisciplinary fields such as American political development, public policy, political economy, and urban politics. She is also interested in the racial dimensions of governance, examining how racialized power dynamics at the state and local levels influence policy outcomes and democratic practices. Her research addresses broader questions of democracy, power, subjugation, and the role of non-governmental actors in state-local conflicts. Kathy is also a dedicated educator, committed to fostering inclusive, student-centered classrooms that promote critical thinking and collaboration.