Utkarsh Mehta

Background

About Utkarsh Mehta

Utkarsh Mehta's commitment to public policy and advocacy started in 2020 - the year the ideals of what America meant to the world were tested. His interest started with a goal to open a lobbying firm in Washington D.C. and continue to work with various groups and broker deals with the government. With that goal in mind, Mehta started to work for Right to Health Action - a youth led progressive advocacy group. The non-profit negotiated with the World Bank, the State Department and the United Nations to provide excess vaccines to the rest of the world. Mehta led congressional briefings in the states of Washington and Oregon - working directly with the Chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee (Senator Patty Murray of Washington). The non-profit was able to secure free vaccines to under-resourced countries. Mehta and his team from the great states of Washington and Oregon lobbied for various healthcare bills. Mehta also personally spearheaded efforts to form coalitions with other groups including IndiaCOVIDSOS. During his time at Washington State University, Mehta also joined the local Climate Citizens’ Lobby to press questions to congressional candidates about their climate policies. Mehta later transferred from Washington State University to California State University - Sacramento to pursue his Bachelors of Arts in Communications. After transferring, Mehta became a research intern under Rebuilding Alliance in the Bay Area. Mehta researched on policy measures as well as specific issues such as demolition and eviction orders and legal cases in the Middle East region. He worked directly with the Executive Director to brainstorm strategies on various advocacy campaigns and fundraising campaigns. Due to the aftermath of US departure in Afghanistan, many Afghan Allies are left behind and Mehta currently works with Civic Works to raise cases in the State Department with the help of Congress and Congressional liaisons. He has conducted research and lobbied to make changes in the Special Immigrant Visa process - an essential US visa providing entry to the US to our Afghan Allies to be evacuated out of the country. Today, he still presses Congress to fix the system, while being a junior in college pursuing a BA in Communications and being a barista serving people their morning coffee.