Andre Simons
MPA Fellows, Class of 2027
Secretary II, CT Office of Policy and Management (OPM)
Andre Simons is a Secretary II at the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM), where he supports the Criminal Justice, Health and Human Services, and Data Policy and Analytics divisions. In this cross-divisional role, he contributes to policy coordination, accessibility initiatives, AI ethics advisement, and brings a systems-thinking approach to governance and public service delivery.
Andre also serves as president of the Hartford region in the Connecticut Young Democrats, representing young voices in state policy while leading advocacy on housing, utilities, education, voting rights, and transit-oriented development. He previously served as President of the state chapter of the Connecticut Young Democrats and helped revitalize regional chapters across the state. He has facilitated meetings with federal and state officials, coordinated statewide policy summits, and organized youth-focused electoral engagement efforts.
His commitment to equity also extends to the nonprofit sector, where he serves as Board President of Deaf Abuse Network and Education (DANE), an organization supporting Deaf survivors of domestic violence. He has led governance reform, grant development, and interagency collaborations to strengthen support services for marginalized communities.
Andre is also a board member of the Unionville Museum and the Lock Museum of America, where he supports historical preservation and public outreach. As a child of immigrants and Deaf parents, he earned his Associate’s in Criminal Justice from Tunxis Community College and a bachelor’s degree in government from Gallaudet University. He is deeply committed to disability justice and inclusive policy spanning all levels of government.
As a Master of Public Administration student at UConn, Andre is focused on harnessing new technologies to improve decision-making, reporting accuracy, and data-driven approaches to advance efficiency and equity in criminal justice, health access, and digital infrastructures across the state.
