2022 LBJ DC Fellow
Jaren Gaither received his Master of Public Affairs (DC Concentration) at the LBJ School. While double majoring in economics and political science at the University of California, Davis, he completed an independent honor's thesis using R and STATA to analyze complex data on political parties and their economic platforms in the European Union.
After graduation, Gaither stayed in the Sacramento area, where he worked for a boutique management consulting firm, Andrew Chang & Co., where he developed his interest in health policy and health economics. Gaither worked closely with a leading nonprofit organization committed to advocating for expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and California EITC. He led a research project examining the usage of EITC in historically marginalized communities and presented findings and policy recommendations to increase the number of individuals claiming the tax credit.
Gaither worked as a graduate assistant data analyst for Texas Global, UT's global strategies office. As a data analyst, he was responsible for using advanced Microsoft Excel techniques and Tableau to compile, analyze and present university data to program directors, campus leaders and for use in national, public-facing reports.
2022 Policy Apprenticeship: MITRE
Policy interests: Health care economics; equitable access to health care services