Suzy Khachaturyan

Senior Policy Advocate (She/her/hers) [email protected]

Suzy leverages the power of state budget and tax decisions to document needs across the state, mobilize the public and policymakers to support equitable policy choices, and build lasting collaborations with partners to draw connections between fiscal issues and their missions. Prior to joining the NC Budget & Tax Center in 2019 as a policy analyst, Suzy held roles in health care quality improvement, cancer research data analysis and coordination, teaching math and science in the Peace Corps, and conducting biochemistry research. Suzy received Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Utah. When she’s not working, you can find her volunteering in her community, cooking, eating, or watching reality tv. Contact me about: 

  • The state budget
  • The American Rescue Plan
  • Immigrant and refugee inclusion
  • Public health and maternal and child health

Posts by Suzy Khachaturyan

Blog
July 5, 2022

NC lawmakers increase funds for harmful ”crisis pregnancy centers”

In the two-year budget enacted in 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly included allocations of more than $15 million to so-called “crisis pregnancy centers.” Approximately $7 million of those allocations were set to be spent during the second year of the budget, which began on July 1, 2022, and ends June 30, 2023. However, last…

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Cover image of report "North Carolina Budget Report 2022" with Budget & Tax Center logo.
Report
May 18, 2022

Executive Summary: NC Budget Report 2022

Download a PDF of this Executive Summary   The 2021-2023 state budget enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) and Governor represents the first biennial state budget enacted since 2017. Yet despite this small accomplishment, North Carolina will be worse off because of the choices reflected in the budget. This report highlights how the…

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Side view of a piggy bank with the flag design of North Carolina
Report
May 17, 2022

Governor’s recommended budget a modest step forward

Last week, Governor Cooper released his recommended budget for the upcoming year, marking the first public step in the state budget process. This proposal reveals both the fiscal and moral priorities of the head of the state. It prioritizes closing the Medicaid coverage gap and laying the foundation in early childhood education and environmental protection…

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Side view of a piggy bank with the flag design of North Carolina
Blog
May 9, 2022

NC has time to change course, hear community voices on use of flexible COVID-19 relief funding

North Carolina has a once-in-a-generation opportunity with flexible American Rescue Plan dollars for big, bold investments to address the harms of the pandemic in communities across the state – and it has time to reconsider and make the right choices for North Carolinians. In March 2021, Congress and the President enacted the American Rescue Plan…

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Cover image of report "North Carolina Budget Report 2022" with Budget & Tax Center logo.
Report
April 12, 2022

A budget that leaves North Carolina worse off

This budget was ultimately supported by the majority of lawmakers in North Carolina after little to no opportunity for public input, negotiations behind closed doors, and the Republican leadership’s goal to limit spending and deliver tax cuts to the top. The state budget passed by the North Carolina General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Cooper represents several notable milestones for the state, as well as the nation.

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