Tyler Peters

My professional and academic work has been shaped by my own lived experiences within foster care. Having felt that my voice was going unheard, I made it my mission to improve child welfare policy and improve outcomes for marginalized youth. After graduating as the valedictorian of College of the Desert and completing my degree in Political Science at UCLA, I focused my research and advocacy on the intersections of LGBTQ+ identity, youth well-being, and systems-level reform. Through published writing, legislative analysis, and presentations to policymakers, I have worked to highlight the needs of vulnerable youth and develop evidence-based solutions. My background in statistics, data visualization, and tools such as SPSS, Excel, Airtable, and Power BI further enables me to translate complex child-welfare trends into accessible insights for practitioners, policymakers, and the public.

I have supported young people directly in transitional housing programs, analyzed federal legislation as a policy intern with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and conducted research on educational and child welfare outcomes. These experiences guide my long-term goal of advancing trauma-informed, equitable reforms in both policy and law. I remain driven by the belief that meaningful change becomes possible when lived experience, research, and policy work together.

Peer Mentor at Oak Grove THRIVE

7/2025 – Present · Remote

Worked 1-on-1 with youth to achieve housing goals, tracked progress and barriers, and stayed current on child-welfare policy developments. Assisted in coordinating life-skills workshops and applied lived experience as a former foster youth to provide guidance and advocacy.

Resident Advocate at Oak Grove Sanctuary

6/2024 – 7/2025 · Palm Springs, CA

Supervised LGBTQ+ youth in extended foster care within a THPP-NMD program. Mentored residents on academic and personal goals, including GED/High School Diploma completion and college enrollment. Organized developmental excursions and partnered with local institutions to support youth professional growth.

Policy Intern at Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

3/2024 – 6/2024 · Washington, DC

Researched developing child-welfare and foster-youth legislation for congressional dissemination. Supported event planning on Capitol Hill, attended federal budget hearings, and authored summaries for CCAI’s congressional membership.

Administrative Assistant at Fostering Media Connections

1/2024 – 6/2024 · Remote

Published articles on child-welfare issues for The Imprint. Conducted research on foster-youth nonprofits and assisted with outreach efforts to inform reporting and organizational communication.

Legal Intern at Children’s Law Center

5/2023 – 10/2023 · Los Angeles, CA

Researched WIC 300 petitions and drafted sample filings for attorneys. Observed minor interviews and received training in trauma-informed interviewing practices to support child-centered legal advocacy.

Tutor at College of the Desert Tutoring & Academic Skills Center

8/2021 – 6/2024 · Remote

Tutored students in Writing, Statistics, Computer Science, and SPSS. Created instructional resources, assisted with how-to tutorial videos, and served as a panelist for the foster-youth support department.

BA Political Science | Minor in Labor Studies

09/2022 - 06/2024 University of California, Los Angeles
GPA: 3.97

AA-T Political Science

08/2020 - 05/2022 College of the Desert
GPA: 4.0