I am an assistant professor at the University of Michigan within the management and organizations area. I apply micro-organizational, social psychological, and evolutionary approaches to investigate how humans navigate social hierarchies and manage cross-hierarchy relationships. In my research, I examine how our deep-seated motives for status, affiliation, and kin care affect the way we think about, feel about, and behave toward others. In particular, my work examines how our motives drive our social decision-making and interpersonal behavior within leader-follower interactions, hierarchy-bridging coalitions, and mentoring relationships. Moreover, much of my work examines when, why, and how our motives either promote or undermine effective group functioning and group member wellbeing.