Thomas Rachko

Thomas J. Rachko, Jr., serves as the Policy Lead at the Im/migrant Well-Being Scholar Collaborative where he works alongside affiliate scholars to translate academic research in accessible ways for policymakers, advocates, and activists to make change. Thomas previously was a policy officer in the US Program at Human Rights Watch focused on research and advocacy on criminal justice, drug policy, and immigration. He also completed the 2016-2017 New York City Urban Fellows program at the New York Police Department Office of Management Analysis & Planning where he conducted research and policy analysis on the Department’s use of force policies and responses to the opioid overdose epidemic, and, was a Legal Advocate at the Urban Justice Center Safety Net Project, where he oversaw weekly legal clinics and represented clients in administrative law hearings to protect rights to public benefits.

Thomas graduated from the City University of New York Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with a B.A. in history and holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in program evaluation and policy analysis from The George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.

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