Her research investigates how administrative and organizational mechanisms in schools reinforce existing inequalities, particularly by race. Her dissertation explores a crucial area at the intersection of education and social equity, examining how street-level conditions and administrator discretion influence racially disparate disciplinary outcomes. Her scholarship provides crucial evidence for how these inequities can be reduced through more equitable policy designs and governance.
Calaia is also a Health Policy Research Scholar (Cohort 6, 2022) with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where she is learning to lead across disciplines and use her research to build a culture of health. She is a proud recipient of the University of Delaware Graduate College’s University Graduate Scholar award, APPAM’s Equity and Inclusion Student Fellowship (2023), and an ASPA Founders’ Fellow (2026)
Prior to her doctoral studies, Calaia earned her Master of Public Service Administration degree from The Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, where she focused on education policy. She previously worked as a research and project coordinator for The American Heart Association and completed a service year with AmeriCorps’ City Year San Antonio. A first-generation scholar from Dallas, Texas, Calaia is also an award-winning miniaturist and scale modeler, a competitive billiards player, and a former Girl Scout.
Phonetic Pronunciation: KUH-lay-uh JAK-sun
Pronouns: she, her, hers, ella, ellas
The University of Delaware occupies lands vital to the web of life for Lenni Lenape and Nanticoke, who share their ancestry, history, and future in this region. Their continuing tribal communities steward the ecologies and traditions of this region today. Health Policy Research Scholars is a national leadership program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It supports scholars from diverse disciplines and backgrounds in applying and advocating for policy change that improves health and equity. The opinions expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the opinions of the program or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To learn more about Health Policy Research Scholars and RWJF’s other leadership programs, and to meet other participants, visit www.healthpolicyresearch-scholars.org.