I am an assistant professor of Geography at Indiana University Bloomington with a joint appointment in the Human Biology Program. My research focuses on the challenges of aging well in U.S. cities, with particular attention to caregiving, age-friendly policies, and housing stability. I integrate qualitative and spatial data to examine how aging is shaped by place, political economy, and community. I collaborate with community-based age-friendly initiatives, including leading the evaluation of Orange County, NC’s Master Aging Plan (MAP). I am an affiliate at UNC School of Medicine’s Community Practice Lab.
Prior to earning my Ph.D., I was a research associate at the Urban Institute, where I led multi-method and community-engaged research on housing and community development initiatives in U.S. cities. I have also worked as a community development planner for the City of Evanston, Illinois, and as a low-wage worker organizer in cities across the Midwest. I received my Ph.D. in Geography and Environment from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and hold a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Leiha Edmonds 