As Vice President of Research at Student Veterans of America, Dr. Abby Kinch oversees all internal and external research initiatives across the organization. She leads strategic research efforts that include comprehensive impact analysis, annual surveys, and the management of SVA’s published knowledge. Under her direction, the research team evaluates the effectiveness of SVA programs for chapters and members, ensuring that evidence-based insights drive the organization’s decision-making and advocacy efforts. Simultaneously, the research team is involved in collaborative research into the economic and cultural issues facing veterans in transition and higher education. Dr. Kinch is also responsible for presenting SVA’s research outcomes to various stakeholders, including Congress, the Administration, state governments, higher education institutions, other veteran-serving organizations, and decision-makers, ensuring that SVA’s data contributes to national policy discussions and legislative initiatives.

In addition to her role at SVA, Dr. Kinch serves as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida’s School of Information, teaching courses in data analysis, information strategy, and decision-making, further showcasing her expertise in research and strategic decision-making. Her previous work includes creating the U.S. Intelligence Studies program at Florida State University, where she provided intelligence analysis training to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Kinch’s academic background includes a doctoral degree in Public Administration and Policy from Florida State University, where her research focused on the policies and programs that support student veterans in higher education. Her extensive body of work on this topic spans institutional, state, and national levels, making her a leading expert in the field. She also holds advanced degrees in Public Administration and Asian Studies, as well as undergraduate degrees in Chinese Language and Culture and Linguistics, providing a solid foundation for her leadership in research and strategic management.

Research Interests and Expertise

• Behavioral economics and decision-making
• Strategic management and information strategy
• Veteran Critical Theory applications in applied policy
• Moral linguistics and pragmatics

Recent Publications

Peer Reviewed

Kinch, A. K., Quemuel, C., Sulman, F., & Houston, B. (submission). The (un)intended consequences of anti-DEI Legislation on intersectional identities in higher education.

Kinch, A. K., & Lyon, J. S. (2024). The Military Separated Me; You Cannot Connect Me. Journal of Veterans Studies, 10(1), pp. 203–213. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v10i1.561

Houston, B., & Kinch, A. (2023). #BlackLivesMatter (BLM) Was Never About Officer Race. Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.20899/jpna.9.2.1-12

Fay, D. L., Kinch, A., & Berry, F. S. (2021). Explaining interstate military friendly policy diffusion across U.S. universities: uncovering vertical-diagonal diffusion. Public Management Review, 24(12), 2053–2078. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1960735

Bell, A., Duggleby, B., & Kinch, A. (2016). Vulnerabilities of environmental migrants: An analysis of movements of susceptible populations. International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering (Special Issue).

Industry Publications

Kinch, A. K., Wooten, R., Barlet, T, Sulman, F., & Hauschild, J. (2024). The Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership (VITAL) Program: A VITAL case for expanded availability. Student Veterans of America. https://studentveterans.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RES_ExpandedVITAL_V1_20240320.pdf

Kinch, A. & Koon, B. (2020). Reconciling response and strategy: COVID-19 Sheltering in Florida counties. National Emergency Management Association Annual Report.

Hubbard, W., Kinch, A. (2017). The Student Veteran Network as a tool to diffuse state-level policy. In Veteran IMPACT (Special Feb 2017 issue).