Elana Simon is a graduate student in the Master of City and Regional Planning program at the Bloustein School where she is pursuing a concentration in community development. She is interested in equitable economic development frameworks, community development finance, and housing development. Prior to joining the Bloustein School, she lived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and later worked for nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC while finding her way to urban planning through volunteer community organizing. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Whitman College in Washington State.