Rafael Perez Medina
Biography
Rafael M. Pérez Medina, MS, is the Latino Policy Analyst at the Gastón Institute, bringing more than two decades of experience in applied research, community development, policy analysis, and program leadership. His work focuses on issues affecting Latino communities in Massachusetts, including housing stability, economic mobility, institutional access, civic participation, and public policy
Area of Expertise
- Public Policy & Evidence-Based Policymaking
- Public Scholarship & Research Translation
- Latino Community Development
- Community-Engaged Research
- Housing Policy & Economic Mobility
- Equity in Public Systems
- Systems Change & Institutional Transformation
- Demographic & Geospatial Analysis (GIS)
- Technology, Data & Society
- Program Evaluation
Degrees
- Master of Science (M.S.) in Environmental Management and Planning, Metropolitan University, Puerto Rico
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography, University of Puerto Rico
Additional Information
His interdisciplinary, community-engaged research lies at the intersection of public policy, economic development, demographic change, and social equity. He examines how policy, economic, institutional, and technological forces shape opportunity for Latino communities through applied research that bridges quantitative evidence with community knowledge and lived experience. His work generates actionable evidence that informs public decision-making and advances systemic change, opportunity, and equity.