Sara Appel
MPP'26 | Management Analyst at DC’s Department of Health Care Finance (Medicaid Agency)
Hometown: Bloomfield, Michigan
Current City: Washington, DC
Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt for the location and the emphasis on quantitative methods.
What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? I graduated undergrad in 2020 and worked as a field organizer for the Biden Campaign in Michigan. I then moved to DC and started working at Child Trends, a nonprofit research organization. I worked at Child Trends for 3~ years and worked on various research and communication projects on topics like adolescent health, reproductive health, early childcare education funding, the early childhood workforce, and access to social safety net programs for Hispanic children and families.
What was the best part of your experience? The best part of McCourt was been meeting other students and learning from their diverse experiences.
What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? Research Intern at the Center for Children and Families and Policy Intern at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Student organization involvement while at McCourt: McCourt Student Association (MSA)
Undergraduate University, degree, and major: University of Michigan, History and Sociology with a focus on social work
Hobbies/ Interests: I'm interested in reproductive health and Medicaid policy. Hobbies- cooking and exploring dc
Reach out to me about: Moving to DC, non-quant background, going back to school after a few years