Community Living

Anika Kumar

Erick Amezcua

Assistant Area Coordinator, Ziv Quad

781-736-5060

anikakumar@brandeis.edu

Profile

Hi everyone, my name is Anika Kumar. I am a PhD candidate in Social Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve called Massachusetts home for the past decade. My academic journey began at Tufts University, where I studied Community Health and Psychology. This led me to roles in local healthcare systems and city government, which continue to shape my research interests and professional goals. My work explores how municipal policymaking buffers or reinforces the effects of greater levels of governance in the U.S. I focus on population health and well-being, with particular attention to marginalized communities, substance use, and mental health. In my free time, I enjoy visiting my family, watching reality tv, going on walks (preferably near bodies of water), and cleaning my living space!