Prior to joining CEPR, Rachel was a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the North Carolina Education Futures Initiative at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Rachel began her career as a college adviser in a rural NC high school as a part of the College Advising Corps. Her experience helping students navigate the road to college sparked her interest in studying the impact of education policy on college access and success for historically underserved students. She received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development from North Carolina State University.