Hello and welcome to my page.
My name is Aja Kennedy and I am an Applied Economist at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University Georgia, where I conduct tax policy analysis and other applied research projects in service to state and local government agencies in Georgia.
Prior to joining the Institute of Government, I worked as a Research Fellow with Boston Indicators at the Boston Foundation while pursuing my Ph.D. in Economics and Public Policy at Tufts University. My work is in urban and public economics, with a focus on housing policy and social safety net programs. 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 marry my quantitative training and interdisciplinary academic background with government work experience and commitment to public service to conduct policy-relevant research, communicate findings, and advocate for the use of rigorous research in informing long term policy objectives.
AJA KENNEDY 