Sanford Students interested in Social Justice

Caitlyn Leary

Caitlyn grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, and attended the University of South Carolina, where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications and a Graphic Design minor. Caitlyn worked in several marketing roles in sports and entertainment, financial services, and telecommunications before shifting her focus to public policy. Caitlyn is a dual-degree student at the Sanford School and Duke Law School and is interested in environmental and social issues. Caitlyn is passionate about animals and regularly volunteers to foster senior dogs from her local animal shelter. In her free time, Caitlyn enjoys exploring the outdoors, doing yoga, sewing, reading, and relaxing with her husband and their dog, Toby.

Kalysta Strauss

Kalysta is a JD/MPP dual degree student. She graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University in 2021 with a B.Sc in psychology, a minor in statistics, and a certificate in SAS Programming and Data Analysis.

Kalysta has professional experience as a projects and data analytics coordinator for a start-up hedge fund, the development coordinator for ReThink Energy Florida a 501(c)(4) organization, a recruiting manager intern at ISGF, a caregiver for a woman with special needs, and a legal assistant at a criminal defense firm. She has spent time volunteering as a Guardian Ad Litem, an adult literacy tutor, and a data analyst for the Florida Restorative Justice Association.

Kalysta hopes to pursue a career as a legislation consultant for nonprofits, political organizations, and advocacy groups.

Demia Tucker