Ella Dennis is a rising sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign pursuing majors in clinical-community psychology and international studies with minors in French and English. Ella is working towards a concentration in human rights on the African continent, and is especially interested in the impact of US foreign policy on the autonomy of women and LGBTQ+ folks in Africa. With a background in francophone studies, Ella is also deeply interested in the history and politics of West Africa. On campus, Ella is involved in Design for America, a nonprofit that uses human-centered design to elevate, research, and present solutions to community problems. She also holds research assistant positions in two psychology labs, investigating both sexual assault prevention methodology and racial trauma as a risk factor for psychosis.
Ella believes that accessible information about foreign policy is a key tenet in creating a more conscientious and globally-minded voter base in America. With experience researching gender-based violence and racism as public health issues, Ella hopes to bring a human-centered perspective to her foreign policy research. In her time at ACE, she hopes to create comprehensive and nonpartisan reports on foreign policy that voters will keep in mind when they head to the polls. In her free time, Ella enjoys creative writing, dancing, and going on long walks with friends.