Claudia Stephens received her BA in International Studies from the American University School of International Service and her MSc in Regional and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). With a background in political affairs and urban planning, she is focused on the relationships between politics, equity, and the built environment. Her past work has included research on citizenship, political resistance, and public space governance in urban areas. Having grown up in the Cleveland area, Claudia looks forward to joining the research team at the Begun Center and contributing research which can assist local partners in tackling violence, public health, and social issues impacting Northeast and wider Ohio. She supports grants focused on firearm violence and the opioid epidemic.