I am an Associate Professor in the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois. My research interests include corporate governance, social networks, economic sociology, and social stratification. In general, I focus on the role of social networks in individual and organizational outcomes as well as the dynamics of network change. My main research stream examines the consequences of network fracturing among U.S. corporate leaders. Much of my research applies advanced models for network dynamics.

I co-author the Illinois Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation Report, which summarizes annual corporate diversity filings in Illinois.

My research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Russell Sage Foundation. My work has appeared in the American Journal of Sociology, Organization Science, Strategic Management Journal, Social Forces, and Social Networks.

Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Illinois I was a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Sociology at Duke University and I completed by PhD. in Sociology at North Carolina State University. Before that I was a high school 10th grade civics and economics teacher. Before that I waited tables.

In my spare time I enjoy listening to and playing music and reading comic books.

Welcome

Contact me:

rabenton [at] illinois.edu