Sara Szot holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Criminology and French from Western University. Now in her second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, she joins the Lab after an internship at the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade in the Business Partnerships and Programs Division. In this role Sara worked to improve existing provincial policy that supports small and medium sized businesses and entrepreneurs, and helped evaluate how COVID-19 relief programming within North America and Europe was being implemented to support local economic ecosystems. Sara’s urban policy interests include affordable housing, inclusive city planning and local economic development.
Sara Szot
Graduate Fellow (2020-21)
Jolene Funk
Graduate Fellow (2019-20)Jolene Funk holds a Bachelor of Health Studies (Hons.) from York University. She brings with her several years of experience working in community health promotion in Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. Now in her second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, she joins the lab and will be completing her summer internship at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board developing the Sustainable Investing Report. Jolene’s urban policy interests include environmental policy and sustainability, the role of physical space in health and wellbeing, and the future of work in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area.
Joshua Cho
Graduate Fellow (2019-20)Josh Cho holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of British Columbia. Now in his second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, he joins the lab after working for a year as a Policy Analyst for the BC Financial Institutions Commission and, most recently, completing an internship at the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure where he worked on improving provincial support for municipal public infrastructure and assisted with the oversight of Infrastructure Ontario and Waterfront Toronto. Josh’s urban policy interests include public transportation, affordable housing and environmental sustainability.
Aidan Carroll
Graduate Fellow (2019-20)Aidan Carroll holds a B.A. from McGill University in Political Science, Anthropology and Communication Studies. He is currently enrolled in his second year of the Master of Public Policy program at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Aidan joins the Lab from the Region of Peel’s Human Services department where he worked on the Housing and Homelessness Services Transformation project team. As a member of this team, Aidan researched and designed new client pathways including a coordinated access system for chronically homeless individuals and families. He also helped the team make recommendations on organization-wide policy and process changes based on jurisdictional research and stakeholder engagement sessions. Aidan is interested in the intersection between levels of government, streamlining service delivery and providing practicable policy solutions to pressing societal issues.
Rebecca Hellam
Graduate Fellow (2018-19)
Rebecca Hellam holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from the University of Toronto. Now in her second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, she joins the Lab after an internship at the Mowat Centre, where she used census data to study neighbourhood diversity and local socioeconomic conditions in Toronto. Her research interests focus on Toronto’s housing affordability crisis, and how technological and social innovation can be used as a tool for building communities.
Sam Jerez
Graduate Fellow (2018-19)
Sam Jerez holds a B.A. (with high distinction) in Sociology and Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto. Now in his second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, he joins the Lab after an internship with the Region of Peel’s Housing Development Unit, where he assisted with the development and implementation of a Housing Master Plan to guide the region’s investments in affordable housing, including supportive and transitional housing. Sam’s urban policy interests include affordable housing, poverty reduction, neighbourhood equity improvement, and the role of artistic expression in promoting community well-being.
Matthew Plouffe
Graduate Fellow (2018-19)
Matthew Plouffe holds a B.A. (Hons.) in International Development and History, with a joint Certificate in Public Policy and Administration, from the University of Guelph. Now in his second year of the Munk School’s Master of Public Policy program, he joins the Lab after an internship at the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, where he researched best practices for climate adaptation and disaster risk management. Matthew’s urban policy interests include social service delivery, housing, resilience, and environmental sustainability.