Alexis Palá joined the Wales Centre for Public Policy as a Research Associate in July 2023. She supports a range of Welsh Government policy projects and WCPP public services projects on tackling housing inequalities and loneliness inequalities.
Alexis is an applied researcher, facilitator, social designer, and social innovator passionate about getting public services to think and do differently so more people thrive. She believes in services and policies that are participatory, inclusive, and evidence-based.
Alexis has worked in and around Welsh and UK public services since 2018. Prior to joining WCPP, she worked at Y Lab, the public services innovation lab for Wales where she led innovation-focused projects using co-production and design principles across health, social care, and the rule of law.
Alexis began her career in applied anthropology conducting participatory, inclusive research on stigma, discrimination, and policies for adults with intellectual/learning disabilities. From there, she worked in a range of interdisciplinary and international contexts supporting practitioners, people with lived-experience, and public services to co-create change. Beyond the UK, she has worked in Lesotho, Australia, Mexico, and Chile.
Alexis is a Trustee for Cartrefi Cymru, an accredited Service Design Professional with the SDN Network, holds a MPhil in Public Policy from the University of Cambridge, and a BA (Hons) in Anthropology from the University of Notre Dame, USA. She also advises and supports a sleep bio-health company.