I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the second year of the Partnerships for Evidence-based Public Policy (PEPP) Fellowship program, which is sponsored and hosted by the Social & Behavioral Science Institute (SBSI) and the Institute for Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) at Illinois. As the newsletter announcement explains,
Beginning in August 2026, PEPP fellows will undertake projects focused on prenatal and postpartum care, violence prevention, LGBTQ+ mental health, and rural broadband policy. Fellows will participate in monthly meetings and professional development programming led by SBSI and IGPA to strengthen the connection between research and policymaking. Each fellow will receive a stipend to support research that advances evidence-based public policy in Illinois.
For my fellowship, I am excited to work with Devon Braunstein, Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband in the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and her team and my colleague, Dr. Richard Feistman, Executive Director of Granite Hearth to examine the outcomes of the Connect Illinois broadband program, focusing on how expanded access has benefited residents—especially in rural communities. It aims to understand impacts on education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, validate past investments, and provide evidence to support continued and future broadband funding decisions across the state.