Lynette Rawlings

Dr. Lynette Rawlings serves as Visiting Professor in Practice in the Department of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is founder and CEO of The Policy Academies, a US-based organization dedicated to advancing racial equity and economic justice in policy-making. Key affiliations include:

• Elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance
• Board member of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute
• Former Non-Resident Fellow at Brookings Institution
• Contributor to German Marshall Fund, Bertelsmann Foundation, and European Foundation Center initiatives

She earned her PhD in Public Policy from George Washington University, following early-career roles as Research Assistant and Program Associate at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Her research centers on racial equity and economic justice, with critical focus areas including US urban policy, housing segregation, income security systems, and wealth inequality. Through The Policy Academies, she cultivates emerging scholars of color from low-to-moderate income backgrounds, developing their capacity to influence policy decisions that reflect community dignity and diversity.

Dr. Rawlings' honors include:

• Election to the National Academy of Social Insurance
• Brookings Institution Non-Resident Fellowship

As leader of The Policy Academies, she directs active grantmaking and research initiatives focused on policy leadership development. The organization provides structured pathways for scholars into influential policy roles while building networks for idea dissemination and systemic change. Her advising emphasizes career development within policy institutions and creating platforms for marginalized voices.

The Policy Academies functions as her primary research and advocacy hub, integrating grantmaking, leadership training, and network development to transform policy environments through racially equitable frameworks.