Mina Kato’s passion for advocacy dates back to her childhood in Southern California. Growing up in Yorba Linda—the birthplace of Richard Nixon and home to his presidential library—Mina was frequently exposed to the world of politics and public service, sparking her early fascination with government and civic engagement. She carried that passion with her to the University of California, Riverside, where she earned her undergraduate degree in political science/international affairs, followed by a master’s degree from American University. 
Mina moved to Washington, D.C. after securing an internship on Capitol Hill. This led to a full-time role working for a member of Congress, where she saw advocacy in action, learning how government and industry collaborate and build trusted relationships.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mina transitioned into advocacy and lobbying at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Today, Mina serves as Senior Manager of Advocacy Communications & Stakeholder Engagement at Vizient, Inc., a healthcare performance improvement company. Mina is also pursuing an Executive MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business, to build cross-sector fluency and better understand the business implications of policy decisions.
Being selected as a Bryce Harlow Fellow is a meaningful milestone for Mina, helping expand her network and providing further tools and resources for effective advocacy.
