In the last Roundup of 2025, we shared that with seven states across the 50CAN network setting math goals for 2026, we would need deeper thinking about policies that would provide a path out of America’s math crisis. Liz Cohen’s report, Mathways: Every Kid is a Math Kid, was our first effort to expand the thinking of policymakers and advocates on reforms, and the fellows of the inaugural cohort of the 50CAN Fellowship for Math and Data Science have been working to raise awareness and provide solutions that families, district and state officials can build upon.

Today, we’re taking our next step forward in strengthening our approach, with the announcement of two Math and Data Science policy fellows: Anahit Baghshetsyan and Kate Dums, who will be spending 2026 working with Liz and others to unearth bright spots, support state-level policy change and explore the role data data science plays in expanding math pathways. We’re incredibly excited to host them.

At 50CAN, we believe that, core to our responsibilities, is elevating the next generation of policy minds so they can help solve longstanding problems in American education. We think Kate and Anahit will do just that.

Anahit Baghshetsyan is a research assistant at the Nevada Policy Research Institute, where she drafts policy papers, authors op-eds, and analyzes legislative bills, often with a focus on education reform. A former 50CAN National Voices fellow, Anahit’s commitment to public service extends internationally. She previously served as an assistant to Irish Senator Annie Hoey, gaining firsthand experience in legislative processes and policy-making while helping initiatives to advance social equity and international relations.

Kate Dums grew up in Minneapolis, MN, and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she studied data science and political science. She lives in Washington, DC, where she has recently earned her master’s degree in Data Science and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University. Professionally, Kate works as a Data Scientist at Aon, with a focus on people analytics and survey methods to support total rewards design decisions.