Angela M. Simms

Angela M. Simms is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College. Her research focuses on racial inequality in metropolitan areas, particularly the suburban Black middle class, exploring intersections between market processes, government policies, and residential segregation. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania (2019), an MPP from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BA in Government from the College of William and Mary.

Before academia, Simms served as a Presidential Management Fellow and legislative analyst at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) across the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. Her work at OMB involved managing policy documents submitted by the Justice Department to align with presidential agendas. Her research has been published in Phylon, analyzing how school-choice policies disproportionately burden Black parents and perpetuate systemic inequities.

Simms’ expertise bridges sociology, urban studies, and public policy, with a focus on structural barriers faced by marginalized communities. She currently teaches at Barnard College and maintains an active research agenda examining racial equity in suburban contexts.