Heinz College Fellowships: Where Talent Meets Opportunity

Nate Edenfield

Program: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management: Data Analytics Track

Undergraduate Institution: American University (2018), History and Economics major with a minor in Mathematics

Previous Experience: Statistical Research Programmer, RAND Corporation

Nate was surrounded by educators and community-minded role models who instilled in him a sense of public service in the small southwestern Pennsylvania town where he grew up. Those values guided him toward studying history at American University in Washington, D.C. There, he immersed himself in public policy and research before eventually joining the RAND Corporation, where he worked across diverse topics—national security, health, infrastructure, and education. “What I found more so [than the specialities] was that I was interested in the methodologies and the skills behind it," he said.

When it came time for graduate school, Heinz College stood out for its blend of analytical rigor, policy impact and flexibility. Nate was drawn to the program’s applied research opportunities and its connection to state and local partners. “During the summer, when I was reaching out to [Heinz Associate Dean] Jackie Speedy or professors, they were willing to engage with me and align what I wanted to do at the program," Nate said. "I did not have that experience elsewhere."

At Heinz, Nate hopes to deepen his quantitative skills, lead community-driven research, and help strengthen small-town resilience across the country.

Cierra Oliveira

Program: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management: Data Analytics Track

Undergraduate Institution: Clemson University (2022), Computer Science major with a minor in Political Science

Previous Experience: Research Scientist, The Bail Project

Early on, Cierra knew she wanted to use her technical skills for good. While studying computer science and political science at Clemson, she realized her passion wasn’t in for-profit technology, but in applying data and computation to social challenges. A pivotal moment came when activist Angela Davis visited her campus and encouraged students to align their skills with their passions, a message that reshaped Cierra’s outlook. "You should instead be thinking about your individual skillsets and then think about how you apply that to an area that you're passionate about," Davis said. 

"I will never forget this answer."

Cierra chose Heinz College for its intersection of data science and public policy. “It’s not just a data-focused school, and it’s not just a policy focused school. It’s both,” she said. “And that was the interdisciplinary environment that I wanted to be in.”

After Heinz, Cierra hopes to pursue policy research with a think tank, nonprofit, or mission-driven organization, using evidence-based approaches to make the world more just and life-affirming for historically underserved communities. 

Avery Trinidad

Program: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management: Data Analytics Track

Undergraduate Institution: Williams College (2023), Sociology major with Global Studies concentration (minor)

Previous Experience: Research Fellow, KM Strategies Group; Research and Insights Analyst, Year Up United

Growing up in New York City’s East Village as the son of Filipino immigrants, Avery experienced both the opportunities and inequities that define urban life. He attended Regis High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan—a scholarship-only school for Catholic boys—where he became acutely aware of both class contrasts and social mobility. "I think that was really where I started being more conscious of, 'What policies, what actions, both from the private sector and public sector, benefited not just the common New Yorker, but the average person in the American context?'" he said.

Avery further explored that notion at Williams College, where he studied sociology and global studies. He learned how policy decisions shape societies across contexts, from post-reunification Berlin to immigration and citizenship law in post-independence Southeast Asia.

Avery was drawn to Heinz College because of its blend of applied skills and purpose. The Heinz Policy Fellowship played a key role in that decision, even beyond the financial support. "You are going to have this structured professional development," he said. "You are going to be able to meet with stakeholders, community members outside of Carnegie Mellon University."

His goal is to advance economic and urban policy that expands opportunity and uplifts communities like the one in which he grew up.

Mallika Yadwad

Program: Master of Science in Public Policy and Management

Undergraduate Institution: George Washington University (2021), International Affairs and Public Health major

Previous Experience: Senior Administrative and Research Assistant, Brookings Institution; Program Associate for Federal and State Policy, National Association of Community Health Centers

Before arriving at Carnegie Mellon, Mallika built an early record of civic engagement across law, government, and policy research. While earning her degree from George Washington University, she interned with a Philadelphia attorney, working on immigration cases, and later interned at Philadelphia City Hall gaining firsthand experience with urban policy issues. Her time at GW placed her in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s policy environment, where she eventually worked on improving health policies for medically underserved communities at the National Association of Community Health Centers before pivoting to foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution.  

Those experiences confirmed Mallika’s decision to pursue graduate study. “I knew as someone who wanted to be a public policy practitioner, I needed to improve my data and quantitative skills," she said. She found that opportunity in Heinz College’s Public Policy and Management program, both in its data-driven curriculum and the diverse, globally minded community she encountered during Admitted Students Weekend. 

Mallika is focused on bridging health policy and international security, aiming to work globally on issues that connect community health with national and international stability.