Executive Board
Co-President
Riya Patel
Riya is a junior studying Policy Analysis and Management in the Brooks School of Public Policy. She joined Roosevelt in her freshman spring as an analyst in the healthcare center and served as the Director of Internal Affairs from 2021-2022. Riya is passionate about healthcare policy, and she is also the Co-President for Cayuga Healthcare Consulting. In her free time, she likes to listen to music, go biking, go to the gym, and play the piano or viola.
Co-President
Aishani Shukla '23
Bio: Aishani is a Senior in the school of Industrial and Labor Relations. She joined Roosevelt in Fall 2020 and served as Center Director for the Environmental & Technology policy center last year. Her passion for public policy stems from her interests in national security and the intersection of sustainable development and labor. In her free time, she enjoys rowing, dance, reading, and playing the jazz piano.
Editor-in-Chief
Franklin Zheng
Franklin Zheng is a sophomore majoring in Information Science and minoring in International Relations, Philosophy, and German Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. He joined the Roosevelt Institute in the fall of 2021 as an analyst for the Center for Environmental and Technology Policy and is now serving as Editor-in-Chief. Outside of Roosevelt, Franklin works as an archival specialist at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and is a member of a social fraternity. Franklin is interested in privacy and data policy, international security studies, and epistemology and interned as a Technology Policy Fellow at the Software and Information Industry Association this past summer
Director of Internal Affairs
Alisha Veera
Alisha is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She joined Roosevelt in the Spring of 2022 as an Environment and Technology Analyst. On campus, she is also an analyst for Cornell Venture Capital and a member of a social sorority. This past summer, she interned for a startup as a Business Development Intern and is looking to pursue impact investing.
Policy Chair
Andreas Psahos
Andreas Psahos (he/him) is a junior studying Policy Analysis and Management in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. He serves as the Policy Chair for Cornell Roosevelt Institute, and has previously written for the Domestic Center and held the role of Advocacy Director. Andreas is passionate about antitrust and environmental regulation, and in his role in CRI he hopes to support analysts as they develop as researchers, writers, and compassionate, policy-driven leaders. Outside of CRI, Andreas is the Vice President of Cornell Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and a legal volunteer for the Cornell University Parole Initiative.
Communications Director
Emily Udagawa '24
Emily is a junior in the College of Human Ecology majoring in Global and Public Health Sciences. She is interested in healthcare policy, science communication, and healthcare marketing. Outside of Roosevelt, Emily is also an active member of the Ithaca Health Initiative and is a research fellow at the Health Design Innovations Lab.
Advocacy Director
Andreas Psahos '24
Andreas is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology studying Policy Analysis and Management. Andreas joined Roosevelt in Spring 2021 as a Domestic Policy Analyst. Apart from being the current Advocacy Director for Cornell Roosevelt Institute, he serves on the PAM Undergraduate Council, is the Executive Secretary for Cornell Phi Alpha Delta, and volunteers for the Parole Preparation Program. He is interested in pursuing a career in law, and spent this past summer advocating for his local community on the state level through an internship with the NYS Assembly.
Center Directors
Center For Economic Policy
Grace Chen
Grace Chen is a sophomore majoring in Policy Analysis and Management in the Brooks School of Public Policy. She currently serves as the Economic Center Director. Grace joined Roosevelt in Fall 2021 and is interested in the economic analysis of social policies. Outside of Roosevelt, Grace is in Social Business Consulting, Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and does research in the PAM Department. She also loves to dance, bake, and make Spotify mood playlists.
Center For Environmental and Technology Policy
Renle Chu
Renle Chu is a senior majoring in Policy Analysis & Management and minoring in Law & Society. She joined Roosevelt in the spring of 2021 as a healthcare analyst. Outside of Roosevelt, Renle is the TA for two undergraduate classes, serves on the Undergraduate Student Advisory Council, and is involved in a qualitative research lab. She is passionate about the policy implications of rising information technology, addressing climate change, and advocating for healthcare reform.
Center For Healthcare Policy
Shruti Nagpal
Shruti is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology majoring in Global and Public Health Sciences. Outside of Roosevelt, she works as a Career Assistant for the College of Human Ecology Career Exploration Center and is a member of the Cornell Healthcare Review, Cornell Biomedical Device, and Cornell Big Red Raas. This past summer, Shruti interned with the Office of Policy and Legislative Services at the New Jersey Department of Health. In her free time, she loves to make Spotify playlists, watch Harry Potter movies, and grab coffee with friends!
Center For Domestic Policy
Hannah Ritter '22
Hannah is a senior studying Industrial and Labor Relations with minors in Inequality Studies and Law and Society. She joined CRI in the Spring 2019 and this is her second year as the Domestic Center director. Last summer, Hannah worked at a pro bono law firm assisting clients access their unemployment insurance benefits and representing them in hearings. She is also pursuing an Honor's Thesis studying the gig workers' access to unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic, focusing on on-demand platform and ride sharing drivers.
Center For Foreign Policy
Javier Vega '24
Javi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences studying information science and government. He joined the fall semester of his freshman year. Javi is interested in foreign policy, especially in how nation’s environmental and energy policies interact, coalesce, compete, and influence decision making. This summer, he interned at a biotechnology startup doing both business and product development. In the future, he hopes to help curb climate change through private sector change.