Natalie Zhang

Washington, United States

Natalie Zhang is a Senior Vice President of Policy at SPRING.

Natalie Zhang is a sophomore in Seattle Washington. She loves to engage in political advocacy and the intersections between regional policymaking with gender, class, and climate. Outside of SPRING, Natalie loves to watch the sunsets/sunrises, go stargazing, and spend time outside enjoying the rainy weather.

Publications

A Review on the CMS and Peace Corps Matching Program

In June 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed the establishment of a computer matching program with the Peace Corps to verify eligibility for Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. The program will check Marketplace applicants against Peace Corps volunteer records, thus automatically disqualifying current and recently separated volunteers from receiving subsidies during their period of eligibility. This brief will explore the potential benefits and setbacks of the program, if implemented. It will evaluate the impact of the program on different groups of people and cover its likely implications. All in all, this program represents a meaningful addition to the overall goal of the ACA. It expands on its current eligibility verification infrastructure while keeping these additions modest and central to the CMS's goals. However, this program's ultimate effectiveness is contingent on consistent agency compliance, regular oversight, and strict care.

By Natalie Zhang

September 4, 2026

A Comprehensive Set of Policy Recommendations for Artificial Intelligence Integration into Education

In the past few years, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a powerful force that cannot be underestimated. Many wonder how AI can be implemented in a way that will not only offer technological innovation and forward-thinking into society but also be used safely to minimize its potential threats. This brief starts with an analysis of the status quo concerning AI technologies and their relationships in the field of education, then provides curriculum-based policy recommendations and external policy recommendations to further the development of AI in a safe yet engaging manner.

By Natalie Zhang

August 31, 2026

Closing the Access Gap: Securing Stable Funding for Community Health Centers

Community health centers are the largest primary care system in the country, and they exist to reach the people the rest of the system reaches worst. These centers can treat everyone who walks in, regardless of ability to pay, because two federal streams underwrite the care. Mandatory funding through the Community Health Center Fund is set to expire on 31 December 2026, and Congress has kept it alive only through several short-term extensions rather than a stable multi-year authorization. The expiration of enhanced Marketplace subsidies adds still more uninsured patients whose care the centers must absorb without payment.

By Natalie Zhang

August 18, 2026

A Comprehensive Analysis of Regulatory Policies in the U.S. Healthcare System

Economic regulation in the healthcare industry has long been a subject of debate, balancing the need for affordability, competition, and innovation. Understanding these regulations is essential, as they directly impact both current and future generations. This paper analyzes the economic implications of regulation within the U.S. Healthcare industry, pulling from specific historical scenarios to analyze the benefits and harms of various viewpoints. This includes FTC antitrust laws, market-based price controls, and more.

By Natalie Zhang

November 7, 2025

An Economic Analysis of Global Trade on Monetary Policies in Emergency Markets and Economies

Over the past decade, emerging markets have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of global inflation challenges. As these nations continue to adapt, their ability to navigate inflationary pressures positions them for long-term success in an evolving global economy. As part of our continued goal to highlight youth viewpoints on issues of concern to them, SPRING seeks to bring the unique perspectives of students into global policies to implement more sources of renewable energy. This paper analyzes how recent inflationary trends affect global trade policies within emerging markets, providing background information on three case studies in India, the Congo, and Mexico.

By Natalie Zhang

November 7, 2025

A Comprehensive Economic Analysis of Renewable Energy in the United States

Over the past decade, grand progress has been experienced regarding the adaptation and implementation of renewable sources of energy. To combat current reliance on fossil fuels, numerous organizations have promoted a transition into renewable energy. This paper analyzes the economic implications of renewable energy, pulling from four U.S. domestic policies that involve the integration of renewable energy.

By Natalie Zhang

November 7, 2025

An Economic Analysis of the United States Health Policies During COVID-19

As the world has slowly begun to resurface following the aftermath of COVID-19, health policies during the pandemic have also begun to draw attention regarding their effectiveness. Public health policies and pandemic prevention are topics of the utmost importance to the SPRING Group. This brief first provides the economic context from which COVID-19 rose, then provides a cost-benefit analysis of six national-level policies and 7 state-level policies and their economic implications.

By Natalie Zhang

November 7, 2025

American Democracy: A Growing Contradiction

To conclude its national anthem, as the United States proclaims itself as the “land of the free,” our nation’s sentiment of liberty is not merely one to be sung by an audience of citizens, but rather a doctrine defining America’s society. Democracy is the foundational block that has uplifted this co...

By Natalie Zhang

July 6, 2024

Capitalism: The Oldest Form of Invisible Violence

From phones to food, capitalism has been the framework for our American society as a whole since its inception. As defined by Cambridge University Press, capitalism is “an economic and political system in which property, business, and industry are controlled by private owners rather than by the stat...

By Natalie Zhang

July 6, 2024

Recommendations To Combat Child Exploitation In Social Media

Social media has exploded in usage amongst children. 50% of parents state that their child has access to some type of social media, with 32% of parents reporting that their children aged 7 to 9 have access to social media. Three quarters of parents have shared the content of their children online.1 ...

By Natalie Zhang

December 13, 2023

Updating The Universal Guidelines On AI In The World Of Generative AI

The Universal Guidelines for AI (UGAI), authored in 2018, was hailed at the time as a needed push for the recognition of rights of all individuals in a world of advancing and continuous AI. In the five years since, many of the principles in the UGAI have been adopted into national law and global forums and frameworks regarding AI governance. Principles of the UGAI have been implemented in the European Union’s landmark AI Act, as well as the White House’s blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which is expected to be released as an executive order in winter ...

By Natalie Zhang

October 5, 2023

All People