Ciaramella is a research assistant in MDRC’s Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities policy area, where she supports implementation and qualitative research on workforce development, economic mobility, and housing initiatives and evaluations. She has experience designing and conducting qualitative research, including leading coding and thematic analysis, conducting in-depth field interviews, and synthesizing findings into reports and policy recommendations. She has also contributed to research design, data collection, and participant engagement across projects, such as MLT Turn Pro, Career Impact Bonds, and the Job Corps Evidence Building study. In addition to her research work, Francesca serves as a co-chair of MDRC’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Advocacy Council, where she leads a cohort of staff members that are dedicated to embedding equity into MDRC’s culture and community.
Before joining MDRC in 2022, she interned at Next100, a public policy organization within the Century Foundation, where she developed policy recommendations on mobilizing formerly incarcerated individuals as a voting group. Francesca holds a bachelor’s degree in public affairs with a minor in law and policy from Baruch College.
