Marjan Ata is a public policy professional committed to advancing effective, equitable governance through evidence-based decision-making and strategic innovation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Sewanee: The University of the South, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and honored with awards for academic excellence and leadership in the social sciences.

Marjan currently serves as a Senior Strategy Specialist at TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid agency, where she leads the design and implementation of hospital quality initiatives and value-based purchasing programs to improve healthcare outcomes. Prior to this, she was selected as a Governor’s Management Fellow for the State of Tennessee, where she contributed to statewide policy efforts in aging, child welfare, and public health. Her work as a Governor’s Management Fellow included managing federally funded initiatives under the American Rescue Plan and facilitating operational reform across cabinet-level departments. Her experience spans cross-sector collaboration, performance management, and legal policy. With training in LEAN Six Sigma and data analysis, Marjan brings a data-informed, equity-focused approach to solving complex policy challenges.