PBN 40 Under Forty Awards 2025
JUSTINE OLIVA | 39
Director of policy and research, Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council
What is the biggest challenge currently facing your industry and how are you responding to it? Heightened partisanship and a fragmented media landscape have made it harder to communicate complex, nonpartisan public policy. But they also underscore why this work is so important. I work to increase the transparency of our research inputs and broaden how we share our findings to better engage both policymakers and the public.
Expanding Women’s Health in Newport
South County Health has expanded its award-winning Center for Women’s Health to Newport, offering a…
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Where do you see yourself in five years? Tackling meaningful public challenges and enjoying life in the Ocean State.
What was your first job? I had a summer job helping with park maintenance for the town of South Kingstown.
What moment changed your life more than any other? In my senior year at the University of Rhode Island, a professor encouraged me to pursue a doctorate in history. It sharpened my ability to manage both big ideas and fine details, skills that are essential to my work in public policy development.
What is your favorite Rhode Island food or drink? I love all things coffee, and my husband is the lead roaster at Dave’s Coffee. It’s the best.
