Belan Antensaye

Originally from Addis Ababa and raised in Vermont, Belan began her academic journey at Cornell University, focusing on public health policy. During her tenure with the City of Burlington, she held pivotal roles in community and economic development, COVID-19 analytics, and the formation of the City’s Office of Racial Equity. Through the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship, Belan was able to return to her birthplace to consult in healthcare, serving diverse clients including health-tech startups and government hospitals. Her leadership in Vermont's pandemic response propelled her to co-found the Vermont Health Equity Initiative (VHEI), where she served as Programs Director, leading collaborative efforts to tackle health disparities across the state and emphasizing equitable emergency response strategies. This past summer, Belan explored southern China before diving headfirst into her beloved co-ed adult soccer team back at home. At Princeton SPIA, she hopes to apply her policy toolkit to explore policy areas in emerging technology and transportation infrastructure. After Princeton, she is excited to build a career that helps make municipal governments more efficient and effective in serving their communities.