Nikta Akhavan is a Research Manager at the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley where she manages CPL’s health and social safety net portfolio.

Nikta comes to CPL with an interest in how good government can reduce health inequities and ultimately allow people to live dignified lives, particularly as we prepare to deal with the impacts of the climate crisis. Nikta is also interested in building power and improving equity and governance through research and policy processes that are more accessible to the public.

Prior to joining CPL, Nikta was a labor union researcher with 1199SEIU in New York City supporting organizing and contract campaigns for healthcare workers. Before this, she worked at the NYC Health Department Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness where she was a project manager on new initiatives relating to improving mental health, emergency response and trauma support, and asthma case management.

Nikta holds an MPH from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and a Bachelor’s in Community and Regional Development from UC Davis. Outside of work, Nikta enjoys picnics, keeping up with her Wordle streak, and reading.