Fellows Directory

PIR Fellows are scholars whose research exemplifies the highest aspirations of public impact research: methodological strength, practical relevance, ethical partnership, and a commitment to addressing persistent public challenges. The inaugural cohort includes both established scholars with a track record of conducting public impact research, as well as emerging fellows who are doctoral students with a demonstrated commitment to public impact research.  They participate in the Public Impact Research Training Institute and engage with the other shared resources developed by the network.

Fellows

Matthew  Baggetta
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Matthew Baggetta

Associate Professor

Indiana University

Amanda Bankston
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Amanda Bankston

Director of EPIC

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Joe Benitez
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Joe Benitez

Associate Professor

Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

Brandi Blessett
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Brandi Blessett

Associate Professor

Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Laura Brisbane
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Laura Brisbane

Postdoctoral Researcher

Possibility Lab, UC Berkeley

Christian Buerger
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Christian Buerger

Associate Professor

O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Indianapolis

Yuan (Daniel) Cheng
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Yuan (Daniel) Cheng

Associate Professor and Associate Dean For Research

Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Jessica Collura
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Jessica Collura

Senior Research Associate

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Diag Davenport
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Diag Davenport

Assistant Professor

Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

Mae Davenport
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Mae Davenport

Professor

Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota

Sameeksha Desai
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Sameeksha Desai

Associate Professor

Indiana University

Aaron Deslatte
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Aaron Deslatte

Associate Professor

O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington

Robin  Engel
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Robin Engel

Senior Research Scientist

Ohio State University

Erica Frankenberg
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Erica Frankenberg

Associate Professor of Education

College of Education, Pennsylvania State University

Tia Sheree Gaynor
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Tia Sheree Gaynor

Associate Professor

Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Chuanyi Guo
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Chuanyi Guo

Assistant Research Professor

Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

Alison Gustafson
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Alison Gustafson

Professor

University of Kentucky

Crystal Hall
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Crystal Hall

Professor

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Sarah Halpern-Meekin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Sarah Halpern-Meekin

Professor

La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Taha Hameduddin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Taha Hameduddin

Associate Professor

Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

Hope Harvey
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Hope Harvey

Associate Professor

Martin School of Public Policy & Administration, University of Kentucky

Carrie Henning-Smith
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Carrie Henning-Smith

Professor

Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota

Ben Jones
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Ben Jones

Assistant Professor of Public Policy

School of Public Policy, Penn State University

Ines Jurcevic
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Ines Jurcevic

Assistant Professor

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Lisa  Klein Vogel
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Lisa Klein Vogel

Senior Research Scientist

Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin

Nicole Kreisberg
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Nicole Kreisberg

Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Sociology

Penn State University

Jim Landers
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Jim Landers

Associate Professor of Practice

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Adam Leive
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Adam Leive

Assistant Professor

UC Berkeley

Megan LePere-Schloop
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Megan LePere-Schloop

Associate Professor

Ohio State University

Phoebe Lin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Phoebe Lin

Postdoctoral Researcher

Possibility Lab, UC Berkeley

Karin Martin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Karin Martin

Associate Professor

Evans School, University of Washington

Pam McCann
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Pam McCann

Associate Professor of Public Policy

Pennsylvania State University

Dani McLaughlin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Dani McLaughlin

Assistant Professor

Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

Elizabeth Meza
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Elizabeth Meza

Senior Research Scientist

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Washington

Adriana Molina-Garzón
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Adriana Molina-Garzón

Assistant Professor

Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Indianapolis

Johabed Olvera
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Johabed Olvera

Assistant Professor of Public Policy

Pennsylvania State University

Ashley Orr
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Ashley Orr

Assistant Professor of Public Policy

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Alberto Ortega
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Alberto Ortega

Assistant Professor

O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University

Fellow 2026 Cohort

Selena E. Ortiz

Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration, Demography and Public Policy 

Penn State University

Emily Pakhtigian
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Emily Pakhtigian

Associate Professor of Public Policy

School of Public Policy, Penn State University

Tasha Perdue
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Tasha Perdue

Assistant Professor

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Aditi Rajendran
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Aditi Rajendran

Assistant Professor

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Katherine Richard
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Katherine Richard

Postdoctoral Associate

Better Government Lab, Georgetown University

Kelly Rosinger
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Kelly Rosinger

Associate Professor of Education and Public Policy

Penn State University

Annelise Russell
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Annelise Russell

Associate Professor of Public Policy

University of Kentucky

Meredith Sadin
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Meredith Sadin

Assistant Research Professor

Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

Jennifer L. Skeem
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Jennifer L. Skeem

Professor

Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

Victor St. John
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Victor St. John

Assistant Professor

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Sarah Strochak
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Sarah Strochak

Assistant Professor

La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Cory Struthers
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Cory Struthers

Assistant Professor

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Long Tran
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Long Tran

Assistant Professor

John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

Noah Turner
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Noah Turner

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice

Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University – Indianapolis

Ron Zimmer
Fellow 2026 Cohort

Ron Zimmer

Professor

Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

Emerging Fellows

Anita Alur
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Anita Alur

PhD Student

Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

Juwon Chung
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Juwon Chung

PhD Candidate

O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington

John Austin Downes
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

John Austin Downes

PhD Student

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Brandon Frye
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Brandon Frye

PhD Student

Ohio State University

Rachel Funk Fordham
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Rachel Funk Fordham

PhD Student

Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

Julia Karon
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Julia Karon

PhD Student

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Grace Landrum-Hall

PhD Student

Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Mauricio Leon Mendez
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Mauricio Leon Mendez

PhD Candidate

Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Audrey Thomas
Emerging Fellow 2026 Cohort

Audrey Thomas

PhD Student

Ohio State University