Lezlie Hilario

Lezlie Hilario is a first-year Master’s in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School. Raised in Perth Amboy, New Jersey by two Dominican parents, she is a first-generation American and the first in her family to pursue higher education. She completed her undergraduate studies at Villanova University, where she excelled as both a scholar and a student-athlete. Lezlie graduated summa cum laude in 2025 with a double major in Political Science and Cultural Studies and minors in Public Administration, Peace and Justice, and Africana Studies. Her leadership and academic distinction were recognized through her selection as a 2024 Harry S. Truman Scholar and her induction into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

In public service, Lezlie’s work centers on the intersection of law, policy, and political participation. She is particularly interested in how legal and policy frameworks can be used to bridge historical gaps in access and to strengthen the democratic institutions that safeguard fundamental rights. Her primary focus lies in the preservation of democracy and the protection of equitable participation within the American electoral system. Lezlie has pursued this commitment through a range of experiences, including serving as a poll worker, conducting undergraduate research on voting behavior and access, and, most recently, working as a Research Assistant with the Ash Center’s Election Transparency Project. After graduating from HKS, Lezlie intends to pursue a career in the public sector, where she hopes to collaborate with lawmakers to design and advance more equitable and inclusive policies.