Rachael Grainger Email & Phone Number

New York, Ny, Us

New York, New York, United States

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Leads an interdisciplinary team of 6 undergraduate and graduate students through the Open Design process focused on co-designing solutions for small business owners and entrepreneurs in Durham, North Carolina.

Applies Human-Centered Design and quantitative analysis to develop insights related to technology device distribution programs, with the goal of developing solutions for challenges in device access and inform state-wide strategies to achieve digital equity goals.

Conducted demographic analysis, economic analysis, spatial analysis, qualitative research (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys), and utilized participatory methods to inform equitable community & economic development planning.

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Designed lab and field experiments focused on operationalizing transparency to increase voter’s trust in government, conducting large-scale surveys, data analysis, and co-authored a peer-review article for publication.

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Collaborated with a cross-functional public policy team and the Durham County Cooperative Extension to research and design a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot program, producing case studies, cost models, and community insights with the goal of improving early childhood outcomes through direct cash payments.

Springfield, Vermont, United States

Supported digital workforce development training and strategy to create sustainable programs and increase access to digital jobs both locally and remote in Vermont.• • • • IMPAÇT • • • •Lead local recruitment and outreach for the Future is Digital Challenge, a partnership with Udacity, and enrolled over 70 Vermont residents in Udacity’s foundational courses focused on digital marketing, front-end web development, and business analytics. Out of 14 rural communities, Springfield had the highest completion rate of 43% for Phase 1 (foundational course) and 56% for Phase 2 (Udacity Nandoegree)Developed a model for designing cohort-based learning for rural communities, building the capacity of CORI to provide technical assistance for training providers and over 20 community partners committed to increasing digital workforce development in rural.Researched and reported on in-demand skills aligned with WIOA legislation and state-level training programs to advocate and inform nonprofits, local leaders, and department of labor employees of current gaps and opportunities.Formed a coalition of local stakeholders, from over 8 workforce development organizations, to build knowledge and alignment on how the workforce system can best support low-income Vermonters to get the training they need in digital skills​​.Created new systems to support training and job placement, such as a weekly job email newsletter that provides regular updates to alumni of BRIC’s training programs on current tech job postings, which maintains a 50-35% open rate.

Poltavska Oblast, Ukraine

Focused on capacity building, participatory design, and educational technology to improve English education in my local community, educating over 400 students and collaborating with over 20 Ukrainian English educators. Monitored key performance indicators for quarterly reports submitted to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington D.C. Wrote and implemented non-profit grants for family-focused and student programs.

Santa Barbara, California, United States

Designed and facilitated randomized human trials focused on deception research for the Communication Department, with over 50 human subjects. Contributed 29 data visualizations for the Transverse Reading Gallery, in the Digital Humanities Department, which focuses on mapping the plot structures, under Dr. Jeremy Douglass.

University Of California, Santa Barbara

Designed logos, flyers, annual reports, info-graphics, social media posts, merchandise, and event materials for over 60 student-run organizations and clubs. Developed outreach strategy and information for campus-wide initiatives, such as elections for over 20,000 students. Approved and revised monthly budgets for media services and student resources (i.e., cameras, video/digital equipment, student services), which increased access to technology for students in need.

Spearheaded outreach projects, including the campus-wide “Museum Fest,” an outreach video with thousands of views, and Snapchat content. Taught art lessons and helped colleagues implement lesson plans for an early arts education program, blending core standards with inclusive arts education for over 20 students.

Master'S Of Public Policy, Public Policy Analysis

Bachelor’S Degree, B.A. Film & Media Studies, B.A. Communication, Cumulative Gpa: 3.82 Dean'S Honors (Letters & Science)

Activities and Societies: Research Assistant for the Department of Communication, Department of Film & Media Studies, and Digital.

High School Diploma, Valedictorian

Activities and Societies: Associated Student Body, Student Ambassador, and Community Project Manager/Team Leader.