Jack is an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. He is originally from San Francisco. He is double majoring in American Studies and Political Science in addition to double minoring in Political Economy and Public Policy. His academic interests revolve around electoral geography, political behavior, and urban structures. After his undergraduate studies, he hopes to attend graduate school and complete a doctoral degree in Political Science.
Category: User Research Team
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Sophia Cheng, Northwestern University
Sophia Cheng is a freshman at Northwestern University studying History and Environmental Policy. Originally from the Bay Area, California, she is deeply fascinated with the beautiful, precarious mode of governance that is democracy. She discovered this passion when covering local governments as a high school journalist, sitting for hours of city council meetings and falling in love with how ordinary citizens were able to participate in the legislative process. At ACE, Sophia hopes to write policy briefs that educate voters of all backgrounds and empower them to make informed decisions about their lives. At Northwestern, Sophia has furthered her interest in policy with her participation in Model UN, Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, and Political Union. She also volunteers at a food pantry worker and college admissions advisor for low-income students. In her free time, she loves to read nonfiction books, take long walks by Lake Michigan, and explore coffee shops with friends.
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Sarah Grace Niemiec, University of Virginia
Sarah Grace is a Third Year Student at the University of Virginia, and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Archaeology. She is active on grounds as Vice President of External affairs for Undergraduate Women in Law, Director of Philanthropy for her sorority Alpha Delta Pi, and a member of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the University of Virginia’s Student Council. In her free time, she also dedicates time to the UVA Community Food pantry, as a welcomer and stocker. Her interest in Democratic Governance closely aligns with her undergraduate effort to provide for her community in a policy focused and meaningful way.
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Samarth Ghodke, University of California San Diego
Samarth Ghodke (Fellow, Technology Policy)
Samarth is a sophomore at the University of California, San Diego, pursuing a B.S. in Mathematics-Applied Science with a concentration in Computer Science and Economics. His academic journey reflects a strong interdisciplinary focus, blending analytical problem-solving with a keen interest in policy research and technology on the pre-law track. Samarth’s recent research explores the intersection of mathematical proofs and patent claim analysis, highlighting innovative applications to corporate legal strategies. Outside of his professional pursuits, Samarth enjoys competitive parliamentary debate, exploring advancements in technology, and engaging with social impact projects. He is passionate about leveraging his diverse experiences to create accessible, data-driven, and impactful policy solutions.
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Jake Ryan, University of California Davis
Jake is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Davis double majoring in economics and political science with a minor in statistics. He has held two previous internships with the first being a California State Assembly intern with APAPA and the second as a Business Research Intern for Digital4Good. As an intern for APAPA, he served as a policy analyst with him required to research and summarize proposed bills and amendments from the ongoing legislative session. For Digital4Good, Jake helped increase access to digital safety education in the classroom by locating schools and organizations that were interested in a partnership with Digital4Good. After graduating from UC Davis, he hopes to pursue a graduate degree in economics with a focus on financial analytics or public policy before pursuing a financial or legislative career. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, backpacking, and cooking with his favorite team being the San Jose Earthquakes.
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Jan De Leon, University of California Berkeley
Jan De Leon (Fellow, Technology Policy)
Jan De Leon is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley majoring in Political Science with a focus on American Politics and an interest in International Relations. The advancements and implementation of policy throughout the U.S and around the world has always been fascinating to him, with current events in Europe and Asia being of special interest to him. Interest in technology stemmed from being intrigued on its evolution from the late 1900s to now, with that interest being interwoven with policy as new laws and court cases have arisen based on its increasing implementation around the world. With the emerging application of artificial intelligence and the increasing use of social media, he believes that robust policy should be adaptable to the changing conditions brought by technology. Jan joined ACE to further promote its mission of fostering democratic engagement in young voters through nonpartisan policy analysis while also learning more about technology policy.
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Kiera Glazer, New York University
Kiera is a second-year honors student majoring in politics at New York University, though is originally from Massachusetts. She has a background in human rights, having worked with Amnesty International USA’s various youth programs for the past four years, presenting at a few of their national conferences. Currently, she is also a member of their National Youth Collective, which aims to increase the role of young people within the organization, especially in internal governance spaces. She is interested in technology policy, as it has become increasingly central to government functions and is thus crucial in studies of politics. Technology is now key in everything from running campaigns to mitigating climate change. Analyzing the policy that accompanies new technological developments is central to understanding how well the government is keeping up with changing times. In her free time, Kiera enjoys reading, traveling, and exploring every coffee shop New York City has to offer with her friends.
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Jennifer Riekes, University of California Irvine
Jennifer Riekes is a dedicated public health professional and urban planning student pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Policy and Urban Planning at the University of California, Irvine. Her commitment to equity in healthcare policy and community-focused research shapes her academic and professional journey. Jennifer has gained significant legislative experience as a Legislative Assistant with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association and as a Legislative Intern for Senator Dianne Feinstein. These roles involved advocating for critical healthcare legislation, such as the Healthy Cardiac Monitoring Act and the NIH IMPROVE ACT, and fostering collaboration among legislators, stakeholders, and community members. Her research endeavors include investigating HPV vaccine hesitancy with Dr. Suellen Hopfer and analyzing urban transportation data to inform city planning initiatives. These projects have honed her skills in qualitative and quantitative research and policy analysis. Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, Jennifer is passionate about spending time outdoors, exploring new hiking trails, and volunteering in community initiatives. She is driven by a vision to bridge gaps in healthcare access and urban planning, ensuring that underrepresented communities are equitably served.
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Vaidehi More, Ohio State University
Vaidehi More is an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University pursuing a dual degree in Public Policy and Biology on the pre-med track. She is particularly interested in research focused on healthcare access, with an emphasis on free clinics and the challenges they face in providing care to underserved populations. Her interest in this area began through her volunteer work at various free clinics, where she witnessed firsthand the difficulties these clinics encounter in securing adequate resources and funding. This experience inspired her to explore ways to improve the sustainability and efficiency of free healthcare services. Vaidehi’s academic background combines her passion for healthcare with a strong foundation in policy analysis and scientific research. She aims to bridge the gap between healthcare policy and clinical practice, working toward innovative solutions that enhance access to care for vulnerable communities. Outside of her academic pursuits, Vaidehi enjoys learning to play new instruments, currently proficient in the violin and piano. She also enjoys exploring different coffee shops and is trying to visit at least one in each state of the nation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaidehimore
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Hope Minor, University of Iowa
Hope is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, French and Chemistry Minors, and a Sustainability Certificate. During her time as a student at the University of Iowa, Hope has undertaken multiple volunteer projects related to local food systems, specifically with a food pantry in Coralville, Iowa, and through a service position with AmeriCorps in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hope has also worked on improving sexual misconduct policies at the University of Iowa through her position as the co-chair of the Student Advisory Committee on Sexual Misconduct (SACSM). She and her fellow committee members review and revise campus sexual misconduct policies and inform their fellow students of available resources if they have experienced harm. The university’s faculty Anti-Violence Coalition (AVC) tasked SACSM with giving a student voice to harm reduction on campus by improving sexual misconduct policies. Hope’s interest in improving public health policy grew from these experiences. They inspired her to pursue a future career in public health policy.