Two additions augment Urban Institute’s staff

Two recent staff changes at the Urban Institute have increased our capacity to work with partners and serve the community with data, research and outreach.

First, Khou Xiong has joined the institute as Director of Community Research Services. Xiong has lived in Chapel Hill for most of the last two decades, and holds a Masters in Public Health from Moi University in Kenya.

Most recently, Xiong served as a Research Project Manager at MEASURE Evaluation in Chapel Hill, engaging in global public health-focused research.

“I look forward to engaging with local community partners and working alongside them to provide reliable research data that will help inform policies and programs to benefit communities in Charlotte and Mecklenburg and surrounding counties,” Xiong said. “The Urban Institute allows me to lead community engaged research on issues that I already care deeply about, such as economic and health disparities, education, housing and homelessness.” Xiong said that much of her career has focused on challenges in far-flung places. “Most of my professional career has been in global public health research. However, I have experienced a growing desire to shift my career towards research efforts that address challenges that are closer to home,” she continued.

Also, Kailas Venkitasubramanian has been named Director of Research Analytics at the Urban Institute. He had previously served as a researcher and director of survey research at the institute.

In his new position, Venkitasubramanian will oversee survey work, conduct research and data analysis, and help guide the growth of the Institute for Social Capital, an administrative data system and signature program of the Urban Institute. “The Urban Institute occupies prime real estate in the space of community research in the Charlotte region,” said Venkitasubramanian. “I strongly believe that the institute is poised to significantly contribute to the solutions to these challenges our community is facing through timely research and analysis in critical domains such as health, education and economy.”

Venkitasubramanian holds a PhD in urban regional analysis from UNC Charlotte. With a background in transportation, urban planning and engineering, he said he’s excited about the intersection of technology, data analysis and social sciences. “A key, related goal is to create frameworks for sustainable, transparent and reproducible analytical work conducted at the institute that leverage best practices in data management, analytical communication and collaboration,” said Venkitasubramanian. “I’m looking forward to working with our researchers and staff towards these exciting projects that empower our local community.”