Makala joins IA for the 2024-2025 academic year as a Tadler Graduate Fellow in Impact Investing from the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. This fellowship supports students working with rural community leaders to revitalize local economies in Appalachia, with a focus on impact investing and applying innovative finance to policy work.
Currently in her second year as a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Virginia, Makala previously earned her B.A. in Political Science from the same institution in 2022. Makala has experience working in the political sphere at both the state and federal level in addition to her nonprofit experience.
During her fellowship, Makala serves as Project Intake Specialist, acting as the first point of contact for entrepreneurs and organizations seeking capital. During the summer of 2024, Makala also contributed to IA as a graduate research intern, examining FEMA flood buyouts and their effects on disaster recovery and economic development in Central Appalachia.
