Ayana Best is a post-doctoral policy associate who works to implement the Research-to-Policy Model for Collaboration, building relationships between policymakers and researchers.

Dr. Best earned her Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. Her research primarily focuses on the effects of state-sanctioned violence on Black women’s political participation and civic engagement. She previously held a research position at the USC Center for Feminist Research, working on projects addressing homelessness for women of color in California, and with the California Census and Black Redistricting Hub, providing policy analysis to inform strategic priorities and planning related to redistricting in the Black community.