POPVOX Foundation welcomes new fellows
POPVOX Foundation is honored to welcome two new fellows — Beatriz Rey and Lauren Kirk — who bring international and local perspectives on government innovation and civic engagement.
Beatriz Rey, Ph.D. is a Visiting Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a Senior Researcher at the Center for Studies on the Brazilian Congress (NECON) at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. She worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Gregory W. Meeks as a 2021-2022 APSA Congressional Fellow. She hold a Ph.D. in political science from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a M.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a contributor to the Brazilian Policy Agendas Project, a consultant to research4impact and a columnist at the Brazilian Report.
As a POPVOX Foundation fellow, Beatriz will focus on conveying lessons from legislatures around the world with U.S. Members of Congress and staff and sharing lessons from the U.S. Congress with an international office.
Lauren Kirk, M.S.W. is the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Jackson, Tennessee, where she leads the community development team and various initiatives to improve the quality of life for all Jackonians. She holds an MSW and an M.A. in City and Regional Planning from the University of Memphis and a B.S. in Psychology from Union University. Lauren is board president for Habitat for Humanity Jackson and serves on the advisory council for Keep My Hood Good and the Jackson State Community College Respiratory Care Advisory Board; she is a member of the Star Center’s Business Advisory Group.
As a POPVOX Foundation fellow, Lauren will focus on information-sharing and building networks among innovators in mid-sized cities, with an emphasis on equitably community engagement.
