Classnotes: Spring 2026

Stay in touch with your classmates and peers

1962 / 1968 / 1973 / 1977 / 1984 / 1987 / 1990 / 1991 / 1997 / 2001 / 2003 / 2005 / 2006 / 2010 / 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2024

Note: Years bolded indicate reunion years.

1962
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Stephen H. Rogers MPA passed away in late July at age 95. Steve greatly enjoyed his year at Harvard, which came after his first overseas posting as a foreign service officer, in New Delhi. He spent 37 years in all as a diplomat, including as U.S. ambassador to Swaziland (now Eswatini). Much of his work was on economic policy, and he made very good use of what he had learned about economics and international relations at Harvard. Steve was happy that his son Halsey and daughter-in-law Aromie were also HKS grads (both MPP 1989).

1968
1973
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In 2020, Frank Popper MC/MPA retired from Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, where he had taught since 1983. Frank and his wife, Deborah, still teach at Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute, where they’ve been since 2001. On Valentine’s Day 2025, The Daily Princetonian, the school’s student paper, ran a nice piece on them. They’re apparently the only married faculty couple there who teach classes together. Frank is involved in oral history projects at Rutgers and Montana State, the latter focusing on their Buffalo Commons work in the Great Plains, an initially controversial 1987 vision of theirs that keeps steadily materializing on the ground. Frank is idly working on a mostly nonacademic memoir.

1973
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Cliff Karchmer MC/MPA continues his fifth decade of consulting on criminal justice reform. He is completing two DOJ funded prescriptive guides for the Arizona State University Center on Problem Oriented Policing; the first on a police role in preventing suicide, and the second (which grew out of his research for RAND) on strategies for preventing mass shootings.  

1977
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Lawrence S. DiCara MPA has published his first novel, Frothingham: A Novella About Boston. His Harvard classmates and contemporaries will see many references to the world they knew in Cambridge. The book is available on Amazon.

1984
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Don Elliott MCRP has just published his second book on zoning reform, An Even Better Way to Zone (Island Press, 2025), which shares his 40 years of experience helping over 80 U.S. communities to align their development regulations with their community planning goals. The book includes practical advice on zoning reforms to improve housing affordability, environmental sustainability, equity for disadvantaged populations, and reuse/redevelopment of urban land.

1987
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Nadine Hack MC/MPA is the CEO of beCause Global Consulting and the first female executive in residence at IMD Business School. Nadine spoke at Lausanne XI on “Igniting the Future of Women’s Health,” was interviewed by Women’s Forum NY for “Powerful Women Share Career Journeys,” was featured on the podcast “Power of Connectivity” with Dr. Ludy Green of USAID, and hosted a Global Citizens Circle on “Holding onto Humanity” with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists who lost children to the conflict. She is a regular Forbes Councils contributor whose latest article is “Whatever Happened to Corporate Responsibility?”

1990
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Toichiro Kumagai MPA shares that an HKS Reunion took place in Tokyo for the classes of 1988–1990 on August 9, 2025, with 10 alumni in attendance.

1991  | 35th Reunion

Jackie Weatherspoon MC/MPA is happyto state that she is a member of the Academy of Court Appointed Neutrals.

1997
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For 30 years, Nessa Richman MPP has been a practitioner of domestic food systems change, and for the last eight years she has served as the executive director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council. Her first book, Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being, is forthcoming in summer 2026. She says, “This book will appeal to professionals and researchers in the fields of food policy, food systems, governance and consumption, and anyone who is interested in civic engagement on matters involving food, nutrition and public health.”
 

2001 |  25th Reunion
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Building on his memoir I’m Not Broken, Jesse Leon MPP released We’re Not Broken, a survivor-informed framework for supporting boys and men impacted by sexual exploitation and trafficking. The framework highlights how harm is often overlooked and outlines practical ways communities, philanthropy, and the public and private sectors can strengthen prevention and survivor-centered responses, including housing. Designed to meet readers where they are, it speaks to practitioners, parents, funders, and leaders across sectors—including technology and AI—who want to move beyond good intentions toward impact. The work was supported by the Ford, Surdna, and Rockefeller foundations and is shared globally.
 

2003
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Vianney Basse MPA has recently joined ALIPH (International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage), the Geneva-based global fund dedicated to protecting and restoring cultural heritage damaged by conflicts and crises. As director of development and strategic partnerships, he leads ALIPH’s expansion into new geographies and thematic areas. This new role has already given him the opportunity to reconnect with HKS friends and alumni around the world. Previously, Vianney spent five years with the international NGO IECD, serving as country director for Lebanon, then as regional director for the Mediterranean, and as a member of the group’s executive committee.

Andrew Kline MC/MPA was recently appointed deputy secretary of state for Colorado, making him the No. 2 election official in the state. In his new role, Andrew oversees 165 staff in four divisions (elections, administration, technology, and business/licensing).

Gold Star Wives (GSW) Outside General Counsel Marty Martin MC/MPA, GSW Board Chair Peggy Griffin MC/MPA 2004, and New York City Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner James Hendon MPA 2012 attended GSW’s 80th anniversary membership meeting in New York City. James met with Peggy and other GSW members prior to giving his keynote address. GSW was co-founded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1945 and is one of two congressionally chartered nonprofits.
 

2005
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Susan Maly, MPP, published her first book, Big Business to Small Business: 10 Strategies to Grow Your Company and Find Work You Love, ideal for those who want to build a profitable business based on their experience and expertise. After six years in the Air Force and 11 in corporate America, Susan now leads Maly Strategies, a boutique consulting firm, to help professional services businesses and nonprofits navigate the challenges of organizational growth. Susan lives with her family outside of Washington, D.C., where she still loves a good game of tennis.
 

2006 | 20th Reunion
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Rodolfo Neirotti MPP and his mother, Maria Teresa Neirotti, share the news of the passing of Rodolfo A. Neirotti PhD, Mason Fellow MC/MPA 2026 on February 26, 2025, a profound loss for their family across the globe, and for the many who knew him personally and professionally, including his countless former patients. Kindly consider a donation to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) at tinyurl.com/drrodolfoneirotti.
 

2010
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In January 2026, Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook MPA published her first book, The American Wake-Up Call (in German), and was thrilled to see it make the bestseller list within two weeks of its publication—most likely due to the incredible support from HKS classmates and thorny transatlantic politics. Taking the 250th anniversary of American democracy as the starting point, the book looks at how the system is now being deliberately weakened. The same playbook is spreading across Europe, including Germany. The book is both a warning and a handbook for action and Cathryn is grateful for how it’s been received and the interest and courage it has inspired.

Tharani (Tara) Jayaratnam MC/MPA founded the nonprofit Green Dreams Women in the wake of Sri Lanka’s 30-year civil war. The organization celebrated its 12th anniversary in 2025 and has empowered over 600 women through livelihood training, providing 75,000-plus employment hours. The nonprofit’s guaranteed monthly income program has lifted many female-headed households out of poverty, sparking a thriving quilled-card cottage industry in Jaffna. In 2025, Green Dreams Women expanded their reach to healthcare, partnering with GlobalInnovatorz.com—led by longtime intern Rehaan Hassan—to fund NICU health assistant salaries at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. This intervention is vital as following the nation’s economic collapse, staffing cuts directly threatened infant survival.

Allison Shapira MC/MPA is excited to announce her latest book, AI for the Authentic Leader: How to Communicate More Effectively Without Losing Your Humanity. It offers a counterintuitive perspective that AI can make us more authentic and, as a result, more effective leaders—depending on how we use it. The book also offers a series of reflections on how to ethically guide our teams, our organizations, and our countries to adopt AI responsibly. She’d love to connect with fellow alumni exploring the intersection of AI, leadership, and governance, as together we shape the future of human connection.
 

2013
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Nathan Finney MC/MPA hopes those interested will pick up a copy of his book Orchestrating Power: The American Associational State in the First World War (Cornell University Press, 2025).
 

2016  | 10th Reunion
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Priscilla Lee MC/MPA and Hla Hla Win MC/MPA are bringing 360ed learning apps to girls in Afghanistan.

Alyce Su HKSEE, chief investment officer at PIMCO Partner Family Office, has been nominated for the 31st Annual Women in Business Awards in Orange County, California. The awards honor the vision, leadership, and achievements of extraordinary women across every sector of the business community. The Women in Business Awards remain one of Orange County’s most celebrated traditions, highlighting the leaders shaping our business landscape today—and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow. Alyce also headlined the opening marquee CIO panel, “Navigating Markets: Investment Strategies and Macroeconomic Outlook,” at a Beverly Hills Elite Wealth Forum. Joined by fellow CIOs, Alyce discussed strategic investment responses and portfolio positioning following the Fed’s recent rate cut. The 9th Annual Private Wealth Southern California Forum convened institutional investors, family offices, and wealth advisors. The CIO panel addressed broader market and policy themes. Alyce also highlighted Hong Kong’s emergence as a leading IPO hub due to a public-market parallel with the U.S. private equity ecosystem.
 

2019
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Samantha Henry MC/MPA has been named the editor of Nieman Reports, the flagship publication of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. She joined the foundation following a journalism career at a variety of news outlets, including several newspapers in New York City and New Jersey, CNN, and The Associated Press. Samantha also worked as a media officer at the United Nations in New York and Latin America. Prior to becoming editor, she worked at the Nieman Foundation managing training and programming for the organization’s cohort of journalism fellows from across the globe who come to Harvard for an academic year.

Joan Moon MPP relocated to Barcelona, dances salsa every weekend, struggles to make a large bowl in her ceramics class, and is about to become a stepmom to an Argentinian street cat. Joan has also been training individuals and teams to negotiate effectively and helped a state avoid a government shutdown by negotiating their budget across party lines. Joan returns to HKS every semester to run her negotiation clinic at CPL. If you’re interested in anything negotiation related, don’t hesitate to reach out.

David Richter MC/MPA has graduated with his MS in civil engineering from Columbia University, where his focus was on infrastructure policy, planning, and development. He also just completed a year serving as a Frédéric Bastiat Fellow with George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, a leading think tank that supports academic research on and promotes advocacy of free-market economics. David has also been promoted to executive vice president, chief growth officer, and chief legal officer at Atwell, LLC, one of the largest engineering and construction firms in the United States.
 

2020
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After more than 20 years of service across the U.S. Department of Defense, USAID, Capitol Hill, UNICEF, HHS, WHO, and global public health and humanitarian initiatives, Sabeeha Quereshi MC/MPA has been appointed deputy mayor of health and human services for the city of Chicago. In this role, Sabeeha provides leadership and oversight of the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Department of Family and Support Services, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, advancing the mayor’s vision for expanded mental health care, health equity, and strengthened community well-being for the 2.7 million citizens of Chicago.
 

2021 | 5th Reunion
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Christopher Maloney MC/MPA was awarded a 2026 Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF) by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States. The MMF program, which was launched in 1982, is GMF’s flagship development program and works to prepare its U.S. and European fellows from both sides of the Atlantic for transatlantic leadership.
 

2022
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Zhanar Baibussinova HKSEE is an HKS PLC alum. As a national consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Zhanar authored the UNDP policy report “Strengthening Government Project Management System for Effective Policy Delivery.” Commissioned by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan (MAIDD), the report introduces a unique maturity assessment framework and model aimed at enabling whole-of-government adoption of project management. It sets out a 2030 roadmap defining priority areas to strengthen the Government Project Management System across key capabilities in alignment with the Public Administration Development Vision 2030.
 

2024
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Jonathan Moss MC/MPA, a Harvard Humanitarian Initiative graduate, has moved with his wife and 1-year-old son to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where they now serve as full-time volunteers with the Free Burma Rangers. Jonathan’s recent reports, “Restoring Safe Ground in Burma” and “With Hearts Ablaze: Standing Firm in Karenni,” document his work during a one-month mission into Karenni and southern Shan State, Myanmar. There he supported frontline relief under airstrikes, trained local volunteers in community-led demining, and partnered with ethnic leaders to help displaced families return home despite ongoing violence. Jonathan’s writing highlights the urgent risks, enduring faith, and call to action that animate his long-term commitment to Burma’s people. His published book Affording and Surviving College is available to order from the Educational Attainment Services website. However, you can also get the Kindle version today at his Amazon Author Central page.

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Reunion photos by Martha Stewart