Rachel Fishman is the acting director with the Education Policy program at New America. She is a member of the Higher Education initiative, where she provides research and analysis on policies related to college finance, consumer protection and transparency, and student access and success. She leads the initiative’s public opinion work, including Varying Degrees, its signature annual survey. She and her work have been cited in such media outlets as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR. Her blogging on financial aid won a national award from the Education Writers Association in 2013.

She previously worked as an education advisor for The College Planning Center in Boston, where she provided guidance to students and families on how to plan and pay for college.

She holds a master’s degree in higher education from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.