Lelia Durand grew up in Potomac, MD and is now a third-year undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), pursuing a double major in international studies and economics and a minor in Chinese. At CWRU, Lelia is involved in Kids Against Hunger, an on-campus organization dedicated to reducing hunger insecurity in the greater Cleveland area, and is a contributing news reporter to the CWRU Observer. In her free time, Lelia enjoys reading, watching TV, and spending time with friends.

Lelia is especially interested in U.S.-China relations and China’s foreign and domestic policy. Her research interests include China’s economic growth, potential pathways to carbon neutrality, and the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Additionally, she is intrigued by how China’s evolving attitude toward environmental protection may impact America’s position as a global leader.

Lelia joined ACE because she is concerned about the amount of misinformation on key voting issues. As a student fellow, she hopes to spread awareness about ACE’s resources and better inform voters about climate change and the economy.