Prior to joining Roosevelt in 2023, Aastha worked as a staff writer for the nonprofit government watchdog American Oversight, where she wrote about Freedom of Information Act investigations focused on democracy, elections, and civil rights. In the past, she has written about domestic and international policy as a news and communications assistant for Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and has worked in communications and research roles at civil rights and social justice–oriented nonprofits and think tanks in Washington, DC. Aastha holds an MPA from Columbia University, where she studied urban and social policy alongside media and communications, and a BA in public policy from William & Mary.