I have 13 years of experience, and specialize in the field of politics and government with specific knowledge in the areas of Central Asia and the Caucasus. I have published on such topics as political transition in the post-Soviet states, US-Russia-China relations with Central Asia, and the state of human rights in Central Asia. I have testified 6 times on topics such as religious freedom in Uzbekistan, ethnic rivalry and conflicts in Kyrgyzstan, and political conditions in Georgia. Although trained as an academic, I am a regular commentator on Central-Asia related current affairs for media outlets such as CNN International, NPR, the Washington Post and the New York Times.