Emerson Fellow
Alexander Villaverde
14th Class, 2007-2008
Alexander is a 2007 graduate of Colgate University where he majored in Japanese and minored in economics. Alexander studied the factors that led to the current political and economic conditions in Zambia and conducted research on local businesses in the Ogasawara Islands in Japan. Originally from Spanish Harlem in New York City, Alexander has worked with low-income teenagers in the Bronx where he facilitated workshops on leadership and community service and organized community-based projects.
Field placement: Ladder Up / Center for Economic Progress
Chicago, Illinois
Alexander provided financial education services to Latino community groups, assisted with the Center’s marketing projects and benefits screening services, and supported Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) outreach activities. He also helped promote asset-building initiatives through the Center’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites and developed training materials for site supervisors and tax preparers.
Policy placement: Prosperity Now
Washington, D.C.
As a member of the Self-Employment Tax Initiative (SETI) project, Alexander researched federal, state, and local best practices to help self-employed businesses utilize the tax system to build assets.