Maya Koehn-Wu is a Research Intern at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation (CIC), working on the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies’ program on Inequality and Exclusion.
Rooted in a passion for social justice and systems-level change, she is committed to identifying levers for inclusive development, particularly the role of finance in advancing resilient infrastructure and service delivery in historically marginalized urban communities. Her work aligns with CIC’s mission to tackle inequality and exclusion through evidence-based policy and collective action and reflects her long-term goal of contributing to equitable development finance and infrastructure planning in informal and underserved areas.
She brings experience across a range of international development efforts, including community resilience and gender-responsive programming for Afghan women refugees, expanding healthcare access in an Indigenous community in Peru, promoting sustainable food systems, and advancing coastal resilience through oyster restoration and regenerative agriculture. Most recently, she served as a Development Intern at Self Help Africa, supporting fundraising and communications efforts centered around women’s entrepreneurship, climate-smart agriculture, and microfinance.
She serves as Co-Chair of the Displaced Migrants Action Group and the International Policy and Planning Association at NYU. She holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia and is pursuing a master’s degree in international urban planning at NYU.