Anjali Nair

Anjali Nair is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the MPA/ID program at Harvard Kennedy School (expected graduation in May 2025). She also holds a BS in Mathematics and Economics from Northeastern University. Previously, she has worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and Dallas, analyzing current economic trends using real-time data. Anjali aims to apply economic analysis to gender, labor and education policy challenges.

Zahra Asghar

Zahra is pursuing a joint Masters in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and Juris Doctor (JD) at Harvard Law School. She graduated from Brown University, where she studied the decision-making of multilateral institutions in crisis settings through the lens of Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. She has worked with domestic refugee resettlement agencies in Rhode Island and Washington DC and international NGOs focused on migrant rights in Jordan and the UAE. Before coming to Harvard, she spent 3 years in the Boston Consulting Group’s Social Impact practice, where she primarily worked with development finance institutions and UN agencies. Her policy focus areas are migration crises and international human rights.

Bryan Tam

Bryan is currently an MPA/ID (Master’s in Public Administration in International Development) student at the Harvard Kennedy School. His professional interest is in economic development, especially as it relates to institutions and political economy. Before coming to Harvard, Bryan was a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, where he mainly worked in their Energy, Climate and Sustainability, and Public Sector Practice Areas.

Ethan Gacek

Ethan is a dual-degree Masters in Public Policy and Masters in Business Administration student at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Prior to Harvard, Ethan began his career in management consulting, before transitioning to the humanitarian sector, working in strategy first at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and then at the United Nations World Food Programme. At the Growth Lab, he will be working on economic complexity and green growth initiatives with the Ministry of Economic Development for the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Gustavo Torres

Gustavo is a Master in Public Administration in International Development candidate at Harvard Kennedy School. He dedicated his career to advancing international development through culture, tourism, fighting hunger, reducing inequalities, and promoting employment and income growth. Over eight years, Gustavo held diverse positions within the Brazilian federal public administration, starting as an intern and rising to Senior International Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Culture of Brazil. His responsibilities in the Ministry of Social Development included addressing food and nutrition security policies and international humanitarian assistance. Gustavo also participated in 24 high-level international missions to 17 countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. He also played a key role in coordinating Brazil’s participation in numerous international organizations’ meetings, including UNESCO, FAO, WFP, UNODC, UNWTO, OAS, CPLP, MERCOSUR, BRICS, G20, OECD, SEGIB, and OEI. Additionally, he led the negotiation of more than 20 international agreements, covering topics such as cultural policies, tourism promotion, and bilateral technical projects, always in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Gustavo is deeply passionate about international development and aspires to enhance further his skills to continue supporting poverty alleviation, primarily through social inclusion policies.

Valeria Churango

Valeria Churango is an MPA/ID candidate at HKS with a background in Economics. Her experience focused on economic analysis and policy design in one of the most influential Peruvian think tanks and in the public sector. Moreover, she has great interest in social policies such as education and labor with an approach to gender disparities.