Neeka Mahdavi

About

Neeka Mahdavi believes in creating a more just and sustainable world for all people by reducing poverty, ensuring equity for our most marginalized communities, and supporting social and economic inclusivity. Neeka was as an economist for the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in the program development and capacity building division where she worked on a number of projects and programs across modes. She also served on the Federal Women’s Program working group, to promote equal opportunity in recruitment, training, and career development for the advancement of women. Prior to her work at the USDOT, Neeka worked in community economic development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru. She currently serves on the board of a non-profit focused on empowering and educating Iranian women and girls through art and community building. In her free time, she develops curriculum and leads virtual English conversation and skill building classes with Iranian and Afghan refugees located in Greece, Sweden, and Canada. She spent this past summer interning at the International Rescue Committee where she worked on the economic empowerment team to support refugees and asylees in their process of early employment.  Neeka is currently a Master of Public Policy Student at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics with minors in public policy and Spanish from the University of California, Berkeley. 

Policy Interests

• Civil/Human Rights
• Diversity/Equity/Inclusion
• Economic and Community Development
• Gender
• Immigration
• International
• Labor and Employment
• Poverty & Inequality
• Program Evaluation
• Race & Ethnicity
• Social Welfare