We are committed to
the public good
Our Story
At the Public Policy Lab, we think that all Americans should have the opportunity to pursue a healthy life, a good education, rewarding work, and a secure retirement — and we believe that, at its best, government offers public services that are powerful tools to help people improve their own individual well-being and prosperity.
Since our founding in 2011 by David Gibson, the late Sylvia Harris, and Chelsea Mauldin, PPL’s community of staff, fellows, and board has grown to include more than two dozen multi-disciplinary researchers, strategists, and designers — all committed to creating public programs and policies that better serve the people.
Our Staff
Shanti Mathew
Strategy Director
Shanti Mathew
Strategy Director
With a diverse background in design, sociology, theater, and event production, Shanti is a design strategist who works to make the world more effective and dignified for all. Before joining the Public Policy Lab, Shanti led business development for a tech startup and gave creative direction to events up to 1,500 attendees. Her design consulting has spanned public and private sectors, and she is the co-founder of BarnRaise, a model of private/non-private sector collaboration that has been replicated throughout the United States and now Canada.
Shanti holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the IIT Institute of Design.
Chelsea Mauldin
Executive Director
Chelsea Mauldin
Executive Director
Chelsea Mauldin is a social scientist and designer with a focus on public-sector innovation. She directs the Public Policy Lab, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that designs better public services for low-income and at-risk Americans.
Prior to co-founding the Public Policy Lab, Chelsea led a community-development organization, oversaw government partnerships at a public-space advocacy nonprofit, and consulted to municipal and federal agencies. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the London School of Economics.
Kacia Ng
Design Lead
Kacia Ng
Design Lead
As a visual designer with a commitment to human-centered methods, Kacia spends her time advocating for simple, clear, and effective design. She is passionate about creating meaningful connections between people and has a real knack for research, because she can’t seem to stop asking questions (and truly cares about the answers).
Kacia is a graduate of The George Washington University. Her journey into social design began when she participated in the School of Visual Arts’ “Impact! Design for Social Change” summer residency.
Our Fellows
Camilla Buchanan
Camilla Buchanan was a visiting PPL fellow and worked on our Jail & Opioid Use project.
Liana Dragoman
Andrew Eickmann
Daniel Goddemeyer
Alexandra Fiorillo
Yasmin Fodil
David Frisco
Raj Kottamasu
Kate Krontiris
Kaja Kühl
Sarah Lidgus
Bridget Monahan
Miya Osaki
Tina Park
Natalia Radywyl
Jennifer Rose
Jennifer Rose is an honorary PPL fellow, having served as the PPL’s design director for our Affordable Housing, School Choice, and High-Need Student Services projects.
Natalie Sims
Jennifer Thibault
Anna Vignet
Jacqueline Wallace
Ben Winter
Hefen Wong
Our Board
Working at PPL
Thanks for your interest! We’re not currently looking for new staff or fellows, but we’re always glad to get connected to qualified individuals for future opportunities. Generally, qualified candidates have a graduate degree in design or social science and at least five years of professional work experience.
Want to get on our radar? The best ways are to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter, so you can stay up-to-date on future announcements. In the meantime, to learn more about our methods, check out our many project publications and our YouTube channel.