Vennela Mallampati

Vennela Mallampati is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Plan II Honors and Government with minors in Women's and Gender Studies, Asian American Studies, and History. Deeply passionate about women's rights, reproductive justice, political campaigns, and public policy, she is committed to helping build a world in which women can exercise full autonomy over their lives, bodies, and decisions. Outside of her work at the Rapoport Center, she currently interns with Annie's List, a political action committee dedicated to electing progressive, pro-choice women across Texas. She is also a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, where she conducts research on the Mexico City Policy and its implications for global reproductive health access and U.S. soft power. With a penchant for experiential learning, Vennela has pursued her interests in reproductive rights and public policy through internships with the Center for Reproductive Rights, the office of State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, as well as various local and statewide political campaigns. On campus, she serves as a student coordinator for the Plan II-KIPP Partnership, where she works to advance educational equity by providing low-income, first-generation high school students in the Austin area with free college counseling and application support. Following her time at UT, Vennela intends to attend law school to pursue a career as an impact litigator, with a focus on advancing reproductive freedom and protecting the human rights of all individuals. She eventually hopes to bring these experiences into a career in public service, where she can help shape policy and advocate for the very communities that ground her work.