Jaren Gaither is a graduate student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs pursuing a Master’s in Public Affairs. His area of focus is health equity and economics, and his research interests include the health insurance marketplace and increasing equitable access to essential healthcare services for historically underserved communities. Jaren graduated with honors from the University of California, Davis with a degree in Political Science and Economics. After graduating, Jaren worked as a management consultant in Sacramento, where he specialized in working with California government agencies and non-profit organizations. At the LBJ School, Jaren currently works as a graduate research assistant at the Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact Center. He is responsible for supporting the policy research team with tracking and evaluating legislation related to economic family supports. After graduation, Jaren hopes to continue his work in health policy, focusing on improving the efficiency of healthcare markets and increasing equitable access to healthcare.