Zachary E. Kenitzer, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Researcher at The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at The Ohio State University. He is an enterprising problem solver, project manager, and social science researcher who seeks to improve communities through local governance. He applies design-thinking to build innovative and approachable policy solutions that cut through complexity and constructively challenge orthodoxy. He goes above and beyond by providing unique value-add to projects that further community dialogue and empower stakeholder decisionmaking.

At Kirwan Institute, Zachary is the all-around methods guru and utility player. With skillsets in both quantitative and qualitative methods, he is best known for building reports that challenge stakeholders to improve programs. Prior to Kirwan Institute, Zachary was a Graduate Teaching and Research Associate in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Ohio State University. He taught 11 classes and seven courses to more than 400 students.

Prior to Ohio State University, he hails from Louisville, Kentucky, Zachary graduated from the University of Louisville in 2009 and 2011 with his Bachelors in Political Science with a focus in Law and Public Policy and Masters in Urban Planning with a focus in Housing and Community Development, respectively.

Currently residing in Columbus, Ohio, Zachary and his wife Darcy have two French Bulldogs named Peaches and Bourbon who are wildly popular with friends and family alike. Zachary is also a member of the Hoover Sailing Club, where he tries not to throw his wife/crew into the lake on errant tacks.