Chitra Balakrishnan

Chitra Balakrishnan is a dedicated Research Analyst at the Urban Institute, focusing on the Office of Race and Equity Research since July 2022. Previously, Chitra served as a Dunn Fellow in the Office of the Governor of Illinois, supporting Deputy Governor Christian Mitchell from August 2021 to July 2022. Chitra's experience includes a Research Assistant role at Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy and substantial contributions as a Researcher at The Kenan Institute of Ethics, where efforts were made to improve educational resources for ESL students. Additional experiences include roles at Valens Global, the Council of Europe, the Office of the City Clerk in Chicago, and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. Chitra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with High Distinction from Duke University and has participated in the Emerging Leaders Program at Akimbo, alongside studies at the University of Strasbourg.