Summary
Katya Vasilaky is an applied microeconomist and affiliate professor based in California with 14 years of experience bridging academic research, policy, and practice. She holds a PhD in Applied Microeconomics from the University of Maryland and has progressed from postdoctoral research at Columbia to faculty roles at Cal Poly, where she teaches and advances applied computing and development-focused research. Her background includes influential stints at the World Bank and Clinton Health Access Initiative, giving her deep expertise in development economics, poverty and equity analysis, and quantitative modeling for policy. Katya blends rigorous empirical methods with practical program evaluation, and she has experience translating complex economic analysis into actionable insights for governments and NGOs. An early-career pivot from professional ballet to economics underscores her discipline and adaptability, while her academic and policy work reflects a commitment to evidence-driven solutions. She maintains an online portfolio that showcases her research, teaching, and applied projects.
14 years of coding experience
2 years of employment as a software developer
The University of Maryland, College Park
BA, Mathematics & Economics, Cum Laude, BA, Mathematics & Economics, Cum Laude at Columbia University in the City of New York
Russian, Ukrainian, French, Spanish