Full Bio
Shana Hardin holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Houston. Her research focuses on the impact of women's increased representation in state legislatures and its broader societal outcomes, with publications spanning political science and population health journals.
In addition to her academic work, Shana partners with nonprofit organizations and foundations to design and implement innovative Get Out The Vote (GOTV) strategies aimed at increasing voter turnout among low-propensity voters, fostering a more inclusive democracy. She also advises organizations on evaluating and improving their outreach efforts, helping them become more effective and equitable in their civic engagement initiatives.
Shana currently serves as Director of Research and Data at New American Leaders (NAL) and the New American Leaders Action Fund (NALAF). In this role, she spearheaded the development of the New American Candidate Database (NACD), a pioneering dataset tracking first- and second-generation American candidates for offices across the U.S. Her work with NAL/AF advances efforts to improve representation, strengthen democratic participation, and provide researchers with critical insights into populations historically underrepresented in American politics.
She also consults with local governments on designing targeted policy interventions to better serve diverse communities and foster greater civic engagement at the local level.