Aaron provides research and analytical support for HR&A’s Broadband and Digital Equity practice to help bridge the digital divide.

As a Research Analyst based in Washington D.C., Aaron works with the Broadband and Digital Equity practice. Before joining HR&A, Aaron worked as a Broadband Program Specialist at the Texas Broadband Development Office. In this role, Aaron provided support in developing the state’s first competitive broadband grant program. He has experience in stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and policy research. Aaron worked with federal, state, and local stakeholders to ensure communities will benefit from the historic investment into bridging the digital divide.

Aaron holds a B.A. in International Relations and Government with a minor in Chinese from the University of Texas at Austin. During his studies, Aaron worked in the Texas House of Representatives as a legislative aide, gaining experience in policy analysis. He also studied Mandarin Chinese at National Taiwan University.

John provides data analysis and visualization to projects in the Housing Affordability and Broadband & Digital Equity space.

Prior to joining HR&A, John worked as a research analyst for the Brattle Group, an economic consulting firm. In that role, he performed quantitative analysis in support of expert testimony in litigation matters. John has worked on litigation matters across a variety of industries including healthcare, retail, financial securities and transportation.

John holds a Master of Science in Data Science from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics from Amherst College.

Anna Mae supports development of HR&A’s digital products, and will start by focusing on tools for Broadband & Digital Equity and Housing Affordability clients. This is an exciting new role at HR&A.

As a Product Manager based in the New York office, Anna Mae manages the product development lifecycle to scope, implement, and deliver digital products.

Prior to HR&A, Anna Mae played multiple pivotal roles in product management, community engagement, and account management during a period of rapid growth at Unite Us, a health tech company. As an Associate Product Manager, Anna Mae was responsible for implementing digital features to support key workflows enabling health payers to reimburse non-profits for delivery of social services. Previously Anna Mae led regional engagement strategy and managed a growing team. In that role, she helped nonprofits across communities transition to digital solutions to holistically address the social determinants of health. Anna Mae began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland (eSwatini) where she collaborated with community health workers to develop HIV/AIDS mitigation programs. Anna Mae also has experience in geospatial technologies, energy research, and education tech.

Anna Mae holds dual BAs in Geography and Environmental Studies from George Washington University, an MPA from New York University, and an MBA from Cornell University where she was a Forté Fellow.

Natasha provides support in coordinating processes and managing workflows in the Broadband and Digital Equity practice.

Prior to joining HR&A, Natasha worked as the Logistics and Operations Coordinator for a New York City based interior design firm where she assisted in managing project calendars, project flow, and oversaw internal vendor communications. She has also worked for a Brooklyn based jewelry company where she managed their custom projects throughout their production process.

Natasha holds a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from Florida State University.

Peter Brewton advises public and private sector clients on affordable housing strategies, program design, and transaction underwriting and execution.

Peter brings over ten years of diverse community development and affordable housing experience to HR&A, with a focus on community development lending and investment. Prior to joining HR&A, he most recently served as Lead Underwriter, Texas for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) where he originated and underwrote community development loans in Houston and San Antonio and provided capacity building support to non-profit affordable housing developers in Houston. Peter holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College and a B.A. from the University of Virginia. He lives in Houston, TX.

Chae draws on her experience in community development, urban planning, and public policy to promote equity and resilience in cities.

Prior to joining HR&A, Chae was a Fellow with the Kresge Foundation’s American Cities Program based in Detroit, where she led citywide grants initiatives and multi-city collaborations to scale community development innovations. Prior to Kresge, Chae worked as a consultant in Deloitte’s Government and Public Services group based in Washington D.C. where she served clients spanning federal agencies, nonprofits, social enterprises and international organizations. She contributed to organizational digital transformations as well as the implementation of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule, helping jurisdictions undo patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities as part of the Fair Housing Act. Beyond US domestic work, Chae was a graduate intern at the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General, where she worked with UN leadership teams on strategic planning and policy research.

Chae has also written about housing policy. She co-authored a report analyzing housing production across the country with the Terner Center for Housing Innovation. For the  Greenlining  Institute, she co-authored a policy brief highlighting inequitable home lending practices across California.

Chae has a Master of City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley and a  Bachelor of Science in International Business and Marketing from Georgetown University.

Prince is passionate about equitable development and justice. He is an experienced economic development policy researcher and advocate; he has provided research and policy analysis support initiatives ranging from economic development and public banking to strengthening commercial tenant protections.

Prior to joining HR&A, Prince worked as a Senior Policy Associate at a Los Angeles-based community development financial institution, Inclusive Action for the City (IAC). At IAC, he specialized in coalition management and stakeholder outreach; he also advised local and federal elected officials on strategic economic development initiatives and policies to curb small business displacement and expand access to non-extractive capital to consumers and commercial borrowers.

Prince holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Sharon has focused her career on advancing socioeconomic mobility by creating vibrant cities. With experience spanning local government, research and advocacy, she specializes in developing strategies that blend data-backed approaches with real-world pragmatism to achieve concrete results.

Prior to HR&A, Sharon served eight years in economic development leadership roles in the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office. As chief of staff of the agency responsible for growing and diversifying tax base, supporting businesses and increasing affordable housing in Washington, DC, Sharon oversaw budgeting, business operations, legislative and program functions and led pivotal interagency initiatives, including Mayor Muriel Bowser’s post-pandemic economic development and downtown transformation strategy, the Housing in Downtown program, the District’s first upward mobility action plan, and deployment of a half billion dollars of grants to local businesses and affordable housing providers.

Before public service, Sharon spent a decade in the nonprofit sector, including at the Urban Institute, where she served as chief of staff, and the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, where she facilitated regional cooperation around shared urban challenges in metro Detroit.

She holds a masters in public policy from New York University and a bachelors from University of Michigan.

Amelia’s research and analytical skills, coupled with her passion for cities, support HR&A’s mission to make more vibrant, sustainable, and equitable communities.

As an Analyst based in HR&A’s New York City office, Amelia’s work focuses on community and economic development projects that leverage both public and private support. Amelia’s prior work has also centered around advanced quantitative and qualitative analyses of the built environment. As a Product Trainer and Product Development Consultant for Social Explorer, a leading cloud-based demographic insights tool, Amelia conducted training for clients and advised on the platform’s growth opportunities. Before joining Social Explorer, Amelia served as the Post-Baccalaureate Fellow for the Barnard College Empirical Reasoning Center where she conducted an empirical suitability analysis recommending equitable distribution of small plazas across New York City in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amelia holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from The University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design where she specialized in Land Use and Environmental Planning and Urban Redevelopment techniques. Amelia also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with Honors from the Barnard College of Columbia University.