Jala Ashan Abner, Mpp Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, United States

Manage all aspects of the primary election reform coalition for California Common Cause, including power mapping, policy research and development, community education, and coalition building.Convene and facilitate the primary reform coalition meetings and act as California Common Cause’s representative in coalition meetings.Develop organization systems and processes to hold coalition members accountable to their commitments.Develop communication channels and protocols to… Show more Manage all aspects of the primary election reform coalition for California Common Cause, including power mapping, policy research and development, community education, and coalition building.Convene and facilitate the primary reform coalition meetings and act as California Common Cause’s representative in coalition meetings.Develop organization systems and processes to hold coalition members accountable to their commitments.Develop communication channels and protocols to facilitate transparent and effective information sharing among coalition members.Build and maintain impactful relationships with coalition members, including responding promptly to questions and outreach from this group.Maintain accurate records of all coalition members, activities, events, and goals. Show less

Researched and informed trends in child poverty, intergenerational poverty, and the racial wealth gap across California, supporting coalition advocacy for equitable policies.Analyzed ACS data to estimate the number of Californian children eligible for a proposed baby bond program, aiding partners in understanding the program's impact.Conducted cost analysis using California budget data for the baby bonds program, informing potential funding strategies.Suggested feasible… Show more Researched and informed trends in child poverty, intergenerational poverty, and the racial wealth gap across California, supporting coalition advocacy for equitable policies.Analyzed ACS data to estimate the number of Californian children eligible for a proposed baby bond program, aiding partners in understanding the program's impact.Conducted cost analysis using California budget data for the baby bonds program, informing potential funding strategies.Suggested feasible tax policy solutions for program funding, facilitating consensus on fiscal approaches.Evaluated policy options through CAM analysis to recommend suitable funding aligned with client ideologies, enhancing decision-making.Built relationships with community members, stakeholders, and government officials to support policy initiatives, strengthening coalition networks. Show less

Eastvale, California, United States

Created a GIS Manual and supplemental training for the Community Development Department, improving staff members' technical capabilities.Recommended five potential Economic Development programs based on the City’s Strategic Plan, aligning with Eastvale's goals for community growth.Researched and tracked legislative policies and grant opportunities, including CDBG and HOME, providing community partners with critical information.Conducted outreach to community members… Show more Created a GIS Manual and supplemental training for the Community Development Department, improving staff members' technical capabilities.Recommended five potential Economic Development programs based on the City’s Strategic Plan, aligning with Eastvale's goals for community growth.Researched and tracked legislative policies and grant opportunities, including CDBG and HOME, providing community partners with critical information.Conducted outreach to community members, stakeholders, and government officials, enhancing coalition engagement and collaboration. Show less

Los Angeles, California, United States

Compiled and analyzed data on the City of Inglewood’s Hollywood Park Tomorrow Project, supporting coalition efforts in urban development.Produced visualizations of the Sub-baccalaureate middle class over time (1960-2022), aiding community partners in understanding demographic changes.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Assisted with three long-term projects and the Federal Open Market Committee Consumption Memo, contributing to research initiatives.Conducted literature reviews on economic history, urban economics, and wage inequality, providing co-authors and readers with historical context.Analyzed and forecasted quarterly consumption and unemployment estimates using vector autoregression models via RATS and Stata, informing future economic strategies.Assisted with archive retrieval… Show more Assisted with three long-term projects and the Federal Open Market Committee Consumption Memo, contributing to research initiatives.Conducted literature reviews on economic history, urban economics, and wage inequality, providing co-authors and readers with historical context.Analyzed and forecasted quarterly consumption and unemployment estimates using vector autoregression models via RATS and Stata, informing future economic strategies.Assisted with archive retrieval, data entry, and cleaning for historical document projects, supporting data integrity. Show less

Atlanta, Ga

Contributed to the evaluation of current urban grower and young urban grower programs, facilitating the development of a national model.Researched and devised innovative tools fostering urban agriculture engagement among children and adults.Supported the development of a strategic plan aimed at achieving full program accreditation for the Urban Growers Training Program.Cultivated partnerships within the business and farming communities to facilitate the employment of TLW… Show more Contributed to the evaluation of current urban grower and young urban grower programs, facilitating the development of a national model.Researched and devised innovative tools fostering urban agriculture engagement among children and adults.Supported the development of a strategic plan aimed at achieving full program accreditation for the Urban Growers Training Program.Cultivated partnerships within the business and farming communities to facilitate the employment of TLW urban agriculture graduates.Orchestrated a focused recruitment process to attract individuals interested in urban agriculture, cultivating a robust pipeline.Collaborated with Atlanta community partners focused on urban agriculture to build coalition networks for food security initiatives.Established and managed weekly farmer’s markets at community parks in Southwest Atlanta, enhancing visibility and community engagement efforts. Show less

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

VLab Research Assistant for NSF Grant 1832144, investigating the Impact of Online Comparison Websites on the Remittance Industry.Conducted comprehensive literature reviews focused on the international remittance sector.Managed data cleaning and conducted initial analysis on eye-tracking data collected for the study.

Atlanta, Georgia

Collaborated with Atlanta-based community partners focused on urban agriculture, including HABESHA Inc., to oversee maintenance of the Spelman College garden, facilitate spring training workshops, and organize Spelman’s inaugural Sisters of the Soil Symposium.

La Jolla, California

At UCSD, summer interns engage in hands-on research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, culminating in a presentation of their research at the UCSD Summer Research Conference.

Atlanta, Ga

Conducted election observations and implemented policies internationally through extensive research across designated countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Nepal.Produced research papers, presentations, and project documents for external dissemination, including memorandums for President Jimmy Carter.Prepared briefing materials for meetings related to election observation and policy implementation abroad.

Master'S Degree, Public Policy

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Economics

Activities and Societies: Spelman College Economics Club, Spelman College Bonner Scholar, Environmental Task Force, Phi Beta Kappa

American Economics Association Summer Program, Economics

Coursework: Advanced Microeconomics, Advanced Mathematical Methods, Advanced Research Methods, and Advanced Econometrics