Hello!
My name is Paige Pellaton (she/her), and I am an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Cal Poly. I study American politics, with a focus on state legislatures, committee systems, legislative productivity, political elites, and democratic representation. I teach courses on CA politics, public policy, and research design in the undergrad and MPP program.
I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from UC Davis in 2024. After graduating, I taught CA politics and public policy at the University of California Center Sacramento, the experiential learning arm of the UC system up in the state’s capital, and American politics at the University of North Florida down in Jacksonville, FL.
I was adopted from China but consider myself a New Englander at heart. Over the years, I’ve lived up and down the Eastern Seaboard—in Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida—before making my way out West. When I’m not at the office, I’m likely reading! I’m currently really into adventure and fantasy novels (e.g., N.K. Jemisin, Matt Dinniman) and espionage thrillers (John le Carré is a favorite). I also enjoy painting, spending time with my cat, cheering for the Las Vegas Raiders with my dad, and watching Sacramento Kings games with my husband. Light the Beam!
You can follow me on Twitter at @PaigePellaton, on Bluesky at @paigepellaton.bsky.social, or on LinkedIn.
Paige Pellaton, PhD 