Idalys Perez

Idalys Perez is a proud Latina from Los Angeles, California. She recently earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Economy and a minor in Public Policy from UC Berkeley. As the first person in her family to graduate from college, Idalys plans to use her lived experience and quantitative research skills to create a more equitable public education system. Throughout her time at UC Berkeley, she was a student organizer for the UC Student Association working to stop UC tuition hikes and advocating for additional basic needs funding for low-income students of color. Idalys has also worked at the California Department of Education, examining K-12 funding and conducting policy research focused on FAFSA completion rates and public higher education affordability at the Public Policy Institute of California.

Idalys is now a Master of Public Policy student at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy. After receiving her master’s degree, Idalys plans to become a policy analyst in the education policy field back home in California to continue serving her community at the local and state level.

UC Berkeley (BA’ 20) and University of Michigan (MPP ’23)

Your role in one sentence: I help create data-driven, equitable education research that aims to make California’s public higher education systems more affordable and accessible for students.

When I am not at work helping students get to and succeed in college I am… learning how to make new coffee drinks and practicing yoga.

If not higher education then what cause? Health care policy.