Kelley Akiya earned a Master of Public Affairs degree with a specialization in social and economic policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas Austin. Her research interests include health care, child welfare, poverty alleviation, and family policy. While in graduate school, she worked as a research assistant on projects related to health reinsurance for small business and the use of health information technology in local mental health care delivery systems. She also completed an internship with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Budget. Before joining BPA, Ms. Akiya worked as a legislative aide for the Texas House of Representatives and the Austin City Council.