Hello and welcome to my page.
My name is Aja Kennedy and I am a Ph.D. candidate in Economics and Public Policy at Tufts University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Research Fellow with Boston Indicators at the Boston Foundation. Beginning Summer 2026 I will join the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University Georgia as an Applied Economist.
My work is in urban and public economics, focusing on housing policy and social safety net programs. I also have strong interest in evaluating distributional impact of fiscal policy. Before pursuing my Ph.D. I was a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, serving tours in Hermosillo, Mexico and Bogotá, Colombia. I’m also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer with two years of service in the beautiful Darién province of Panama. I have a master’s degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University and a B.A. in Spanish and Global Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!).
After spending time as a policy practitioner, I am excited about having pivoted into research, where I can marry my quantitative training and interdisciplinary academic background with my government work experience and commitment to public service. I seek roles where I am able to conduct policy-relevant research, communicate findings, and advocate for the use of rigorous research in informing long term policy objectives.
AJA KENNEDY 