Mo Navas
Harvard Kennedy School
Master in Public Administration Candidate

As a Panamanian-born immigrant, Moises wanted to serve the country that had given him and his family many freedoms and opportunities. Inspired by his older brother, he joined the NROTC program at Jacksonville University to commission as a Marine Corps Officer.  Throughout his nine-year career, Moises led Marines and Sailors from the Gulf of Guinea to the Pacific Theater and the Baltic Sea during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He has learned to adapt to adversity, lead through difficult times, and provide solutions to complex problems in a time-restricted environment. What has shaped Moises’ vision of the future is the loss of his brother, Major M. Navas, on March 8th, 2020, during combat operations in Iraq. During the darkest period of his life, Moises experienced and saw the incredible support that nonprofit foundations provide Gold Star families.   As a Gold Star Brother, Moises plans on helping advance nonprofits that support Gold Star families. Recently, he and his wife launched MANs Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit focused on providing funds for children of Marine Special Operations to participate in various extracurricular activities. He also currently serves on the Advisory Board of Talons Reach Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the wellness of Special Operations servicemembers.   Upon completing his MBA from MIT Sloan and MPA from HKS, he will take his leadership experience to make meaningful impact in public administration. Additionally, Moises holds an MA in Global Security Studies from Johns Hopkins University. He resides in Cambridge, MA with his wife and three children.

HKS Affiliations