Current MPA Students

Ellie has worked across politics and policy to advance evidence-informed solutions that prioritize the needs of vulnerable communities. Most recently, she served as Senior Communications, Policy, and Research Associate to the Global Executive Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), where she helped shape organizational strategy and advised public and private sector partners on applying research to real-world challenges. A graduate of Brigham Young University, Ellie’s early experiences as a political aide, writer, and educator sparked her commitment to bridging the gap between well-meaning policy and lived experience. At SPIA, she plans to focus on climate adaptation and poverty reduction, building the tools to help governments and multilaterals scale effective, locally grounded solutions.

Andrew is a state government professional who most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. In this role, he modernized agency operations by launching the first dedicated constituent services program, establishing data-driven performance dashboards, and advancing legislative priorities. Prior to this, Andrew worked on political campaigns across the United States, gaining experience in organizing, communications, and fundraising. Andrew spent this past summer on the Commissioner's team at the New York City Department of Transportation, the largest and most complex municipal transportation agency in the country. He supported executive operations and led development of the agency's strategic action plan. Originally from Massachusetts, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McGill University. Before Princeton, Andrew lived in Washington, D.C., and enjoys cooking and going on long runs.

Yumi majored in Economics at the University of Tokyo from 2018 to 2022. After graduation, she joined Japan’s Ministry of Finance, where she has worked at the Customs and Tariff Bureau, the Fukuoka Local Finance Branch Bureau, and the Policy Research Institute (PRI) – a research body affiliated with the Ministry that conducts policy-related studies. At the Customs and Tariff Bureau, she took part in text-based negotiations for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Agreement, promoted the streamlining of customs procedures, and launched new initiatives to strengthen controls on illegal exports. At the Fukuoka Local Finance Branch Bureau, she conducted regional economic research and participated in inspections of local financial institutions. At PRI, she conducted research on the behavior of financial institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loren, from Houston, Texas, graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in physics, mathematics, and government. While attending, she pursued a Russian minor, earning a FLAS grant to study’s the language in Latvia. Through her time in the Polymathic Scholars Honors Program, she completed a thesis on the impact of translation on Russian foreign policy interpretations. During her undergraduate career, Loren spent a semester in Washington, D.C., as part of the Archer Fellowship Program. There, she interned with the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. At the University of Texas at Austin, Loren conducted research for the Policy Research Lab and went on to establish and lead the AI and Advanced Technologies research silo. Through her work at Princeton, she hopes to pursue a career in science and technology policy. In her free time, Loren enjoys reading, traveling, and rock climbing.

Hailing from the Lone Star State, Martín was raised in Dallas and would frequently visit family in Mexico throughout his upbringing. He moved to Pennsylvania in 2015 to attend Swarthmore College. Since earning his B.A. in History and Peace and Conflict Studies in 2019, Martín has dedicated his career to uplifting marginalized communities in Philadelphia through trauma-informed legal advocacy. He has advocated on behalf of victims of police brutality and has provided litigative support on wrongful conviction cases plagued by prosecutorial misconduct and racial bias. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he transitioned his work to providing legal services for low-income Spanish-speaking Philadelphians with disabilities. Blending grassroots organizing with policy advocacy, Martín continued championing for Disability Justice before transitioning to Sex Abuse litigation. As a Sex Abuse paralegal, he has worked with survivors of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and child exploitation in their pursuit of accountability and justice. Aiming to further develop his leadership skills and economic literacy at Princeton, Martín remains committed to using his expertise to profoundly address sexual and gender-based violence. Outside of his work, he can be found bothering his cats, exploring new restaurants, or enjoying a coffee after midnight with his partner.