Paula Nazario (she/her)

Paula Nazario is a Ph.D. student in the School of Education and Information Studies, where her research examines how the privatization of higher education shapes students’ educational outcomes. She has conducted research and provided leadership on education and Latinx issues through her work with UCLA Center X and the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute. As Assistant Director at UCLA Center X, she led a Google/Siegel Family Endowment–funded project to develop a parent engagement toolkit for equitable computer science education and supported statewide computer science initiatives, including the CSforCA coalition. At the Latino Policy and Politics Institute, she co-authored policy briefs on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 on Latinas and disparities in access to rent relief programs in California. She has produced higher education policy research on ROI, faculty diversity, and enrollment trends, with work featured in The Los Angeles Times, CalMatters, and EdSource. She currently serves on the Los Angeles Metro Community Advisory Council, appointed by Mayor Karen Bass. A proud first-generation college graduate, she holds a Master of Public Policy and a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA.