january 2025 congressional innovation fellows
Ilona Bodnar, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Ilona Bodnar, a data scientist specializing in machine learning and software development, brings experience from industry including Google and NerdWallet, most recently working at a medical AI startup. She is committed to safeguarding consumer rights and promoting the transparency and accountability of impactful technical systems at scale.
Ilona is serving with the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Minority Staff, where she is working on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure issues.
Rahul Hebbar, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Rahul Hebbar is a technologist committed to AI serving humanity, not outpacing social readiness. Rahul was a Project Researcher for the New York City Council’s Legislative Division. Previously, he interned at Koopid.io, where he built machine-learning algorithms. Rahul has his B.S. in Computer Science from Rutgers University and a Master of Public Policy from Duke University.
Rahul is serving with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Majority Staff, where he is working on export control issues.
Matt Burtell, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Matthew Burtell is a technologist with interests spanning AI, national security, China competition, energy, industrial policy, and business innovation. Matthew holds a BS from Yale, where he studied Computer Science and Mathematics, and has published both technical and policy AI research at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
Matt is serving with Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), where he is working on AI and competition policy.
Shourya Jain, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Shourya Jain is a product manager passionate about leveraging data and AI to strengthen American infrastructure. He previously worked at Microsoft, building features for the Azure AI platform, and Neufin, developing a platform to drive investment in energy and carbon projects. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Washington, Seattle.
Shourya is serving with Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15) and working on issues pertaining to grid resilience and governance, as well as tech and telecommunication issues.
Joshua Chavez, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Joshua Chavez is a technologist with engineering and product experience in defense hardware, data, and processing. Joshua recently served as the Director of Products & Technology at HawkEye360 and the Lead Technical Product Manager at SeaWatch Labs. He graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Yale.
Joshua is serving with Rep. John McGuire (R-VA-05), where he is working on defense technology, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and trade issues.
Avanti Joshi, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Avanti Joshi received a B.S. in Computer Science and began as a software engineer at Goldman Sachs before pivoting to infrastructure and security at Trussworks, a civic technology company. She worked with government agencies to modernize cloud infrastructure and promote application security. Avanti is excited to advise on policy issues such as cybersecurity and data privacy.
Avanti is serving with Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), where she is working on federal IT modernization and tech innovation policy.
Dhruv Kathuria, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Dhruv Kathuria holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley. He was most recently a Senior Engineer at Pavilion, where he worked on procurement modernization, and previously contributed to Trust and Safety at Nextdoor. Dhruv is passionate about digital privacy and improving how governments adopt and regulate impactful software technologies.
Dhruv is serving with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), where he is working on issues related to consumer privacy, data security, autonomous vehicles, digital trade, and AI in healthcare.
Joe Putnik, Senior Congressional Innovation Fellow
Joe Putnik is a data scientist and business owner with expertise in AI and machine learning, digital infrastructure, and process automation. He has led technology transformation initiatives across enterprises in nearly every industry and size. His policy interests include ethical AI frameworks, government efficiency, and leveraging data science to enhance decision-making and serve the public good.
Connor Sandagata, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Connor Sandagata is a data scientist who seeks to bring his expertise in machine learning, data analysis, and causal modeling to inform policy. Connor was the Senior Data Scientist at WPA Intelligence, where he specialized in using machine learning to analyze public opinion in political campaigns. He holds a Bachelors in International Relations from the University of Rochester.
Connor is serving with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and working on issues related to AI and science policy.
Lauren Luo, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Lauren Luo is a software engineer with an interest in data privacy and governance. She recently worked at Instagram, where she built privacy-aware infrastructure for consent order responses and led age data consistency and governance efforts for teen accounts. Lauren earned her B.A. in computer science and American studies from Wellesley College.
Lauren is serving with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and working on AI, data privacy, antitrust, and consumer protection issues.
Sabelo Mhlambi, Senior Congressional Innovation Fellow
Sabelo Mhlambi is a technologist and AI ethicist, he is a former fellow at Harvard's Berkman-Klein Center and Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. With over 11 years in tech, focused on AI regulation, privacy, and fairness, he leads a Techstars-backed fintech startup building safer AI systems. His work bridges innovation and policy to advance ethically aligned AI.
Sabelo is serving with the House Judiciary Committee, where he works for both the IP and Antitrust Subcommittees on issues related to intellectual property and antitrust.
Pauls Toma, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Pauls Toma is a computer scientist and a lawyer. Pauls interned with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, where he bridged the gap between blockchain technology and securities law. He previously interned at DOJ, where he combatted the criminal misuse of cryptocurrency. He has a BS and MS in Computer Science and a JD from the University of Detroit.
Pauls is serving with the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee for Financial Services and General Government Majority Staff, where he is working on blockchain, AI, and other tech policy issues.
Akash Wasil, Congressional Innovation Fellow
Akash Wasil is a technology and national security professional with experience in research, entrepreneurship, and AI policy. His work has involved AI and cybersecurity, US-China tech competition, semiconductor policy, national security preparedness, and applying AI in healthcare. Akash was an NSF-funded Ph.D. student at UPenn and holds a B.A. from Harvard University.
Akash is serving with the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Majority Staff, where he is working on AI, semiconductor, and export control policy.
Anna Nickelson, Senior Congressional Innovation Fellow
Anna Nickelson is a technologist with a PhD in robotics, researcher, and science communicator dedicated to safe and responsible implementation of emerging technologies. Her academic research focuses on adaptive and ethical AI, and she formerly worked at Dolby Labs, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the Brookings Institution. Her policy interests include equitable access to technology and data privacy.
Anna is serving with Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), where she is working on issues related to AI, social media, broadband access, and telecommunications.
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