Emma Fernandez is a policy program associate in the Research to Action Lab at the Urban Institute, where she focuses on advancing mobility from poverty, inclusive recovery, and racial equity. She works with local government agencies and nonprofits to provide policy advising and technical assistance. 

Before joining Urban, Fernandez worked in civic technology policy for the City of San Francisco and in research on behavioral science interventions in social services and education at MDRC. She also was a fellow in the Boston Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics and was a FoodCorps service member promoting local food access and education in schools. Fernandez received a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Princeton University and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.