Lucy Sorensen is a Principal Researcher at the Learning Policy Institute. In this role, she conducts research related to the K–12 educator workforce, school finance, and school safety and climate. Her work uses quantitative methods to examine how education policies and systems influence youth development and broader patterns of social and economic inequality.

Previously, Sorensen was an Associate Professor in the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, SUNY. She serves as an Associate Editor for Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and on the Editorial Board of Education Finance and Policy. Her research has appeared in journals including the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Educational Researcher, and Child Development, and has been featured in outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and NPR.

Sorensen holds a PhD in Public Policy and an MA in Economics from Duke University, and a BA in Economics and East Asian Studies from Yale University.