Grace Castelin is a Graduate Fellow with the Benefits Transformation Initiative at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. In her role, she supports the team’s person-centered approaches and collaboration among state leaders to develop innovative and progressive solutions toward evolving benefits systems. Grace’s passion encompasses achieving economic justice for communities often excluded from fair opportunity to attain financial prosperity and has a particular interest in using data-driven solutions and technology to advance systemic efficiency and alleviate the wealth gap.
Grace is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, on the Washington, D.C. track, and expects to graduate in Spring 2026. She earned her Bachelor’s in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from the University of Central Florida, where she also engaged in extensive experience in student leadership, civic engagement, and community organizing as President of the NAACP, Social Justice Chair for the National Council of Negro Women, and a Student Government Senator and Black Caucus Vice-Chair. Her previous roles include serving as a Gender Pay Equity Intern at the YWCA, Health Equity Intern at Families USA, and Federal Poverty Intern at the Southern Poverty Law Center. She is also a former Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. Grace enjoys the arts, as she loves to sing, song write on the piano, and dance. She is also a renowned chef amongst her social circles.