Leslie Villegas
Leslie Villegas was an Associate Policy Analyst with the Migration Policy Institute, where she worked with the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy on K-12 education issues affecting immigrant children and their families. She conducted research on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and worked with a network of organizations in seven states that ensure English Learners are provided with equitable and accountable public education services.
Before joining MPI, Ms. Villegas worked for the California Legislature in various capacities, including as public policy researcher, analyst, and advisor, as well as government relations and community outreach representative for various elected officials. While studying in Scotland, she consulted on a project to create a Scottish National Action Plan for Responsible Business, where she assisted with the creation of a Leadership Group of Scottish businesses and the Scottish government. Through this project she conducted research for her master’s dissertation on public-private partnership best practice and how to utilize the private sector as a tool for poverty eradication.
She holds a master’s degree in international development from the University of Edinburgh, and a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science from California State University, Sacramento.