UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs: Judy Saunders

Judy Saunders

Judy is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning candidate at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Her interests are in how the intersection of urban planning and social welfare can support affordable housing and community development without displacement. She is committed to challenging the status quo to rebuild urban environments into inclusive communities.
With a background in developing community programs, grant oversight, performance evaluation, and project management, Judy’s background has worked within the intersection urban planning, civic engagement, and macro social work disciplines. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, she worked at Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) as both a Procurement and Performance Analyst, where she worked on using data evaluation to drive equity while determining how to disperse funding and improve programs for youth experiencing homelessness. She then moved on to work as the Program Manager for a startup nonprofit called Bread Head, where she designed and implemented programs around food security, financial literacy, and health and wellness for youth and families experiencing housing insecurity. Most recently, she worked as a Data and Evaluation Manager for Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, where she worked to use data to inform program decisions to close the achievement gap and advance equity for schools in LAUSD.
Judy is honored to be working with the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Homelessness Solutions as a 2024-2025 David Bohnett Fellow. She is looking forward to working on projects that empower individuals experiencing housing insecurity through collaboratively creating solutions to Los Angeles’ housing crisis.