Hometown: Medford, Oregon
Academic Background:
Bachelor of Arts, International Affairs and Chinese Language and Literature, University of Oregon (2014)
Master of Public Administration, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance (2021)
Research Interests:
My primary research centers on understanding how households enter financially precarious positions, how they attempt to consumption smooth in the face of income and expense shocks, and how institutional mechanisms mediate distress and promote financial stability. I approach these questions with an interdisciplinary lens that combines insights from public affairs, economics, and sociology. My work explores both voluntary and coercive financial interventions, including nonprofit credit counseling, private creditor forbearance, and wage garnishment. Broadly, my research seeks to illuminate the lifecycle of financial instability—from the structural and behavioral causes of distress to the institutional designs that shape recovery—with the goal of informing policy and programs that support household financial resilience.
In a second stream of research, I examine how involvement in the criminal legal system affects economic outcomes. One line of work investigates racial disparities in drug court admissions and the broader implications for addiction recovery and long-term economic productivity. Another explores how different case dispositions—such as dismissal versus conviction—shape subsequent employment and earnings, including whether individuals who are not convicted still face labor market penalties. Together, this research seeks to understand how institutional decision-making within the justice system contributes to persistent inequalities in financial well-being and economic mobility.
Selected Reports
- FinRegLab, Moulton, S., and Xie, R., (2023). Debt Management Insights for Distressed Borrowers: Bridging from Emergency Programs to Long Term Payment Plan. FinRegLab.
- FinRegLab, Courchane, M., Gailey, A., Moulton, S., Tragesser, C., and Xie, R., (2022). Debt Management Insights for Distressed Borrowers: Credit Counseling and Loan Forbearances Post-COVID. FinRegLab.
- Miller, M. and Xie, R., (2022). Findings from the 2021 Survey of Health and Recreation in Washington State: Gambling Behaviors and Prevalence. Washington State Institute for Public Policy.
- Barch, M., Knoth, L., Wanner, P., Xie, R., (2020). An Evaluation of the 2016 Act to Promote Attendance and Reduce Truancy. Washington State Institute for Public Policy.
- Wanner, P., Miller, M., Xie, R., (2020). Updated Inventory of Evidence-Based, Research-Based, and Promising Practices: For Prevention and Intervention Services for Children and Juveniles in the Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Mental Health Systems. Washington State Institute for Public Policy.
Working Papers
- Xie, R.,(In Progress). Understanding Wage Garnishment in Columbus, Ohio: Descriptive Trends and Open Questions
- Moulton, S. and Xie, R., (In Progress). Income volatility, Unemployment, and Financial Wellbeing: Understanding the Role of Credit Counseling
- DiTommaso, A. and Xie, R., (In Progress). Case Disposition and Employment Outcomes: Descriptive Evidence from Franklin County, Ohio
- Fraga, A., Lindsay, S., Liu, S., Munshi, A., Perdue, T., Ridgeway, D., Tossone, K., Xie, R., (In
- Progress). Racial Disparities in Admittance to Drug Court.
Accepted Conference Presentations
- Employers as Arbiters of Injustice? A Case Disposition Perspective (ASC, 2024; DEPC, 2024)
- Racial Disparities in Admittance to Drug Court (APPAM, 2023; ASC, 2023)
- Temporary Debt Payment Relief or Long-Term Payment Restructuring? Insights from Credit Card Accommodations during the COVID-19 Pandemic (APPAM, 2023)
Fellowships and Awards
- APPAM Equity and Inclusion Fellowship, 2024
- Conference Travel Award, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, 2024
- Conference Travel Award, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, 2023
- University Fellowship, The Ohio State University, 2023-2024
- Evans School Fellowship, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, 2019-2021
- PathwayOregon Fellowship, University of Oregon, 2011-2014
Service
John Glenn College Doctoral Student Organization, Treasurer, 2024-2025
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Graduate Teaching Associate, John Glenn College of Public Affairs; Columbus, OH, 2025
Graduate Research Associate, John Glenn College of Public Affairs; Columbus, OH, 2024-2025
Research Associate, John Glenn College of Public Affairs; Columbus, OH, 2022-2023
Research Associate, Washington State Institute for Public Policy; Olympia, WA, 2021-2022
Research Intern, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee; Olympia, WA, 2021
Consultant, Washington State Institute for Public Policy; Olympia, WA, 2021
Research Aide, Washington State Institute for Public Policy; Olympia, WA, 2020