Ariana Aboulafia

Ariana Aboulafia is Policy Counsel, Disability Rights in Technology Policy, where they lead CDT’s work in studying the ways in which certain technologies, including hiring algorithms and algorithmic surveillance, can impact disabled people, and advancing policy that protects their digital and civil rights. An attorney with a strong background in intersectional public interest advocacy, Ariana previously served as an officer to the Journalism Department at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where they oversaw a grant portfolio focused on protecting the First Amendment. They have also served as an assistant public defender in Miami-Dade County, providing direct representation to clients facing both misdemeanor and felony criminal charges. 

Ariana holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and law, history and culture from the University of Southern California, as well as a J.D. with a concentration in social justice and public interest from the University of Miami School of Law. While at Miami Law, Ariana served as a fellow to the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, where their work included research to further CCRI's goal of combating online abuse and protecting civil rights in digital spaces. Ariana’s academic works have been featured in several publications, including the University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal, in topics ranging from consumer privacy and technology to hyper-viral police violence; their work on disability and technology has recently been featured in Slate and Barrier Free Futures, among other outlets. They are on the Board of Directors of SAVE LGBT, the longest-running LGBTQ+ rights organization in South Florida. You can find them on Twitter/X here, or LinkedIn here.