Alex Coccia

View Alex’s condensed bio here.

At CSSP

I work to advance policies that ensure economic freedom and security for children and families. I focus on making public systems equitable, accessible to people and communities who have long been excluded from them, and generous in supporting children and families across the continuum.  

I do this work because

I believe that policymaking must be a process of learning in service to racial and economic justice.  

I am most proud of

Completing my PhD, which allowed me to study the welfare history of my home state of Ohio, and to think critically about the politics and narratives necessary to end poverty in the United States.

Work History

• Policy consultant, Children’s Defense Fund Ohio
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame, Department of Political Science
• Special Assistant and Policy Analyst, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Education and Awards

• DPhil (PhD) in Politics, University of Oxford
• MPhil in Comparative Social Policy, University of Oxford
• BA in Africana Studies, Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
• The Rhodes Scholarship
• The Harry S. Truman Scholarship

When the day is done

I enjoy teaching, serving on LGBT+ and public service-focused non-profit boards, traveling, getting meals with friends, and hiking with my partner.