Originally from the metro-Atlanta area, my passion for finance started after watching those I love bear the costs of the 2008 Great Recession. I took this passion with me to Georgia Southern University where I received degrees in economics and finance. After a brief stint in management, I worked as a financial advisor where I got to serve my community through retirement, college, and estate planning. This experience sparked an interest in research so I started pursuing my Ph.D. in August 2018 in order to research the relationship between the larger financial system and those average investors for whom I deeply cared. My research has covered topics on retail trader execution quality under zero commissions, the effects on mutual funds from broker-targeted regulation, and employer-sponsored retirement plan spillover effects in the corporate loan market. 

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In addition to research, my position has given me the incredible opportunity to teach students at the university level. Being that I am incredibly passionate about education, the interaction with students is a true joy. I have taught and assisted instruction in a variety of courses covering financial statements, investments, and financial management. The most rewarding part of my job is the feedback from students who have told me that the skills learned in my class directly helped them succeed in positions at firms such as Morgan Stanley and AllianceBernstein. 

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When I am not working, I spend my time trying to stay active and enjoying nature as I love running, working out, and hiking. A lover of all things sports, I enjoy reliving my glory days by playing in the East Carolina Amateur Baseball League (ECABL), and I especially take pride in being an overcommitted fan of the 2021 WORLD SERIES CHAMPION ATLANTA BRAVES. Beyond that, my wife and I co-own Ashlyn Cathey Photography Co., an engagement, lifestyle, and wedding photography company that serves clients across the nation.