As an Associate Director of Research and Policy, Anna’s research focuses on early care and education systems in California. She co-leads the California Early Care and Education Workforce Study and works with counties to design and evaluate compensation strategies. Anna began her career as an early childhood teacher and nonprofit program manager in Washington, DC. To better support students, parents, and fellow educators, she returned home to the Bay Area to study public policy, eventually coming to CSCCE after working in county offices of education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Princeton University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Anna is also a classically trained soprano and rock band vocalist.
Publications by Anna Powell
August 11, 2026 • Brief • By Anna Powell, Wanzi Muruvi and Abby Copeman Petig
This policy brief and the accompanying webinar series were generously supported by the California Department of Social Services, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and the Bay Area Jobs First Collaborative. A sudden enrollment shift into transitional kindergarten has upended the…
Early Educators Increasingly Depend on Medi-Cal
April 8, 2026 • Brief • By Anna Powell, Wanzi Muruvi and Abby Copeman Petig
This profile draws on data gathered as part of the 2025 California Early Care and Workforce Study with funding from the California Department of Social Services, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Employer-sponsored benefits are a vital source of economic…
“A Weight Off Our Shoulders:” Pandemic Payments to Early Educators in Riverside County, California
April 3, 2026 • Report • By Wanzi Muruvi, Anna Powell, Yoonjeon Kim and Abby Copeman Petig
This evaluation was generously funded by First 5 Riverside County. Early educators often choose to work with children out of passion, but their hard work earns them low wages in return. Turnover, particularly among center-based teaching staff, remains high. Wage enhancements can make a tangible difference in educators’…
March 12, 2026 • Report • By Wanzi Muruvi, Elena Ojeda, Carly Hyland, Anna Powell and Abby Copeman Petig
This report was produced by CSCCE in partnership with UC Berkeley Equity and Excellence in Early Childhood (E3C). The January 2025 wildfires, considered the most catastrophic in the history of Los Angeles County, left many child care facilities covered in smoke and ash. This report shows that child care…
A Vision for Abundant Early Care and Education
February 26, 2026 • Report • By Anna Powell
This report was published as part of the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab’s Abundance Accelerator. It is one of a twelve-part series released through a partnership between the Possibility Lab and CalMatters Knowledge Hub, focusing on exploring innovative solutions to shortages of…
Child Care Centers Compete With California’s $20 Fast Food Wage
February 6, 2026 • Data Snapshot • By Anna Powell, Wanzi Muruvi and Abby Copeman Petig
This profile draws on data gathered as part of the 2025 California Early Care and Workforce Study with funding from the California Department of Social Services, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Poor compensation is built into the…