Current Lukšić Fellows and Alumni

Current Degree Program Fellows

Branka Lončar Mrkoci is a candidate for a Mason Mid-Career Master in Public Administration program, class of 2013. She holds a BA in Business Economics from the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia and a MA in European Political and Administrative Studies from College of Europe,Bruges, Belgium. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. Her most recent work experience prior to HKS was as a diplomat (first secretary) at the Mission of Croatia to the European Union in Brussels, where she was responsible for accession negotiations of the Republic of Croatia with the European Union, political dialogue between Croatia and the EU and EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. In her ten-year diplomatic career in Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs she served as an expert for EU political issues responsible for European Security and Defense Policy, EU relations with NATO and EU policy towards Western Balkan countries. Her previous diplomatic assignments include Croatia’s relations with World Trade Organization, international and European financial institutions, as well as participation in initiating Croatia’s official international development policy.
 
Tania Valerie Raguž is currently First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations.  She holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from the University of Birmingham and is a qualified Solicitor of Law in the United Kingdom.  In her present diplomatic posting, Tania has primary responsibility for economic, international trade and development, as well as environmental issues.  She has been appointed vice-chairman to represent the Eastern European Group of member states on a number of U.N. bureaus in the sustainable development arena. Since joining the Croatian Foreign Service in 1996, Tania has served in the U.N, Human Rights and Diplomatic Protocol Departments within the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.  Previous diplomatic postings for Tania have included Washington D.C. (2004-2008) and the United Nations in New York (1998-2002).

Lukšić Degree Program Alumni

Ana Bulic graduated from the Master in Public Policy program with a focus in Economic and Political Development in June 2011. Between her first and second year at HKS, she completed an internship with the Poverty reduction and Economic Management Sector at The World Bank Headquarters (Washington DC). Prior to HKS, she was an instructor and research assistant at the Department of Organization and Management at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb. She also served as an advisor for tax reform related issues at the Ministry of Finance, Tax Administration Headquarters - Division for International Cooperation and European Integration. Bulic also holds a BA in Business Administration from the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, where she graduated at the top 10% of her class.

Andrijana Krasnec graduated from the Mid Career Master in Public Administration program in May 2010. She serves as an advisor to the minister of finance, Ministry of Finance of Croatia. Before HKS, she also worked as an adviser in the Finance Ministry in the areas of media and crisis communication and relations with state and political counterparts, among other responsibilities. Moreover, she worked within the Ministry’s Department for International Financial Institutions and the European Union. Krasnec holds an MA in Contemporary European Studies from the Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex and a BA in Marketing from the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb.

Ana Hrastovic-Kotrnec graduated from the Mid Career Master in Public Administration program in June 2008. She currently serves as the head of the Contributions Unit of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Prior to HKS, Hrastovic-Kotrnec served as assistant minister of finance, functioning as the main counterpart for all international financial institutions and their operations in Croatia. Hrastovic-Kotrnec’s professional background includes positions at the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank. She received a Diploma in Diplomacy and BA in Managements/Business Administration from Webster University in Vienna, Austria.

Mirela Mrvelj graduated from the Mid Career Master in Public Administration program in June 2009. She is the founder and director of the Zagreb-based Zona-Znanja, which provides educational consulting services to young Croatians preparing for higher-education opportunities in leading U.S. universities. Prior to HKS, she served as the director of the Strategic Planning Division at the Trade and Development Promotion Agency, where she oversaw the Agency’s Investment Policy Development Department and implemented projects aiming to improve the country’s business environment, among other responsibilities. Mrvelj holds an MBA from Zagreb School of Economics and Management, and a diploma in Economic Diplomacy from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

Mario Škunca graduated from the Mason Fellows Mid-Career Master in Public Administration program in 2012. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences from Curtin University of Technology (Australia) and a Master of International Policy and Practice from the George Washington University-Elliott School of International Affairs. His most recent work before attending HKS was as a foreign policy advisor to the prime minister, Office of the Prime Minister. Previously, he served as a Security Council expert for European Issues at the Permanent Mission of Croatia to the United Nations; head of section for EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and a political affairs officer/second secretary, Embassy of Croatia in the U.S. He also held various positions with the OSCE, including field officer in Kukes, Albania.

Ivana Vukov graduated from the Mason Fellows Mid-Career Master in Public Administration program in 2012. She has a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Zagreb and a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration from The Open University (UK). Ivana most recently worked as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Strategic Programme Fund/Reuniting Europe programme manager for Croatia, British Embassy in Croatia. She also served as the FCO Programme Manager and Press and Public Affairs assistant at the British Embassy, in addition to various positions with AEGEE-Europe.