Fernanda Escobar, PhD ’26 is a doctoral candidate at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Her research centers on American immigration policy, with particular attention to the experiences of immigrant children and families, intergenerational mobility, and disability policy.

She currently serves as a Research Associate at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, where she uses qualitative methods to examine the intersection of disability, race, and ethnicity—particularly within Latino communities. Fernanda holds a Master of Public Policy from the Heller School, with a concentration in poverty alleviation and a focus on immigration.

Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she worked as a Research Associate at the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity, conducting quantitative analyses of national datasets to assess the impact of public policy on the racial wealth gap. Her work is guided by a strong commitment to advancing equity through inclusive, evidence-based policymaking informed by the lived experiences of historically marginalized communities.