Every student’s path to Harvard Kennedy School is unique, and what our alumni go on to do after graduating is equally varied.
We asked several HKS alums to tell us about their experiences before, during, and after HKS, and to reflect on how their time at HKS has shaped their careers and lives.
When Christian Zambaglione MPA 2019 arrived at HKS, he had already earned two degrees in economics. He was drawn to the flexibility of the Master in Public Administration (MPA) Program and found the experience to be transformative.
Here’s what he shared.
“Beyond the academics, HKS taught me how to work effectively in multicultural environments and navigate complex situations, which often involve competing priorities and tight deadlines.”
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2022Starts current role as an economist at the World Bank
After three years working as consultant, Christian secured a new role as an economist in the Prosperity LAC Regional Director's office. He now supports the Prosperity team in advancing work related to growth, fiscal policy, and regional development priorities. A large part of his job involves preparing briefs, coordinating strategic initiatives, and contributing to core analytical and policy work to help the department’s leadership navigate the region’s economic challenges.
“Overall, my role sits at the intersection of analysis, coordination, and policy engagement. I contribute to efforts aimed at promoting more inclusive and sustainable growth in the region.”
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2019Begins working as a consultant at the World Bank
Immediately following graduation, Christian started working in the World Bank’s Latin American Region Macro Unit. He supported the Costa Rica work program, performed fiscal monitoring, and provided analytical support for upcoming operations.
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2019Graduates from HKS
“Attending HKS was truly transformative; not only because I got to learn from professors whose work I used to read, but also because of the vibrant environment that surrounded the School.”
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2017Begins the MPA Program
From taking courses with Professor Dani Rodrik to attending meetings with former presidents and Nobel laureates, Christian found his HKS experience to be life-changing.
“I was initially skeptical about the importance of learning soft skills, but in the end, the course that transformed the way I look at the world was MLD-201: Exercising Leadership: The Politics of Change. I learned how to navigate complex challenges that involve much more than just solving a technical problem.”
One of the highlights of Christian’s time at HKS was being co-chair of the Latin American Caucus. He planned social and academic events for the Latin American community at HKS, allowing him to better understand their common challenges and experiences.
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2016
“I was torn between the MPA and the Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) Program, but I was ultimately drawn to the diversity of classes the two-year MPA offered.”
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2016
Christian conducted market studies to identify competition issues that would advance antitrust policy. He also supported institutional coordination with domestic and international stakeholders.
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2016Graduates from the Universidad Toruato Di Tella with a master’s degree in applied economics
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2015Works as a consultant for the Ministry of Health
In this role, Christian maintained social, economic, and health statistics; managed internal databases; produced monitoring indicators and performance reports for provincial health insurance programs; and supported evaluation studies, including impact evaluations and pilot tests.
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2014Graduates from Universidad de Buenos Aires with a bachelor’s degree in economics
