Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz is a Fellow at The Policy Lab. Shanna is the Director of the Social Science Institute for Research, Education and Policy (SSIREP) at the University of Rhode Island, where she also teaches political science.
Shanna’s research focuses on political participation, racial minorities, public policy, inequality, and political geography, and her work has appeared in some of the top political science journals including the Journal of Politics and the American Journal of Political Science.
Shanna worked for several years as a Legislative Director for a top elected official in the Maryland statehouse and has served on the governing board of several interest groups. She has also helped run several state legislative and congressional campaigns and has spent significant time as a political fundraiser for a variety of candidates and political parties.
Shanna holds a PhD and a Master’s from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BA from Hampshire College.
