Harleigh Bean

Harleigh Bean is a dual-degree candidate at Columbia University, pursuing an MIA at the School of International and Public Affairs and a Master of Business Administration at Columbia Business School. Concentrating in International Finance and Economic Policy and International Security Policy at SIPA, Harleigh is focusing on how digital assets are reshaping geopolitics and global financial systems.

Prior to attending Columbia, Harleigh worked in the US House of Representatives for Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, holding roles of increasing responsibility in operations and strategic planning. As a student, she interned at Chainalysis, a blockchain intelligence company, and currently supports supervisory oversight of global financial institutions as an intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Harleigh’s international experiences — studying abroad in Spain and France in undergrad and traveling through Columbia-affiliated treks — have deepened her cross-cultural fluency and global perspective. These experiences, combined with her passion for public service, drive her commitment to integrating emerging technologies into legacy financial systems in ways that promote stability, access, and innovation. Long term, she aspires to work across sectors to modernize global financial infrastructure in step with evolving geopolitical dynamics.