Andrew Irish received his MSW from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester and is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Welfare at the University at Buffalo. He has a practice background as mental health and substance abuse counselor and administrator for a number of agencies in the Buffalo and Western NY region. He conducts research on income inequality and poverty, especially as they relate to substance abuse, mental health, and suicidality. He has training and experience in analyzing a range of data types and research questions.