1966 / 50th Reunion
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1968
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Frank Popper MC/MPA continues to teach land-use planning at Rutgers and, with his wife, Deborah Popper, Princeton universities. “In January 2016 we were the Princeton study leaders, lecturing on U.S. and Central American national parks, on a Harvard-Yale-Princeton alumni cruise in Costa Rica and Panama. I am an incoming coeditor of the Journal of Planning Research and Education. Deborah retired in December 2015 from the City University of New York’s College of Staten Island and Graduate Center after receiving the college’s 2015 award for faculty research.”
1969
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Jack Underhill MC/MPA presented a paper titled “Long-term Strategy for Reducing Low-Income and Minority Unemployment” at the March conference of the American Society for Public Administration in Seattle.
1971 / 45th Reunion
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1975
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Gary Van Valin MC/MPA writes, “When it came time for the class photo at the 40th reunion, I was the only one there. We can do better next time.”
1976 / 40th Reunion
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Marilyn Hett MCRP was looking forward to the reunion weekend. “I serve as program administrator for the tourism development program in the Tampa Bay area, with over $28 million in revenues annually, as well as a $5 million historic preservation program. Enjoyed past roles as director of community development for Miami-Dade County and in private consulting in hotel, resort, and mixed-use developments in the Caribbean and south Florida. Fond memories of early-morning classes with Professor Bower, as well as classes with Professors Christensen and Musgrave.”
1978
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Robert Metzger Belfer ISP Fellow was recently selected for Federal 100 recognition, an award given each year to the 100 persons identified by Federal Computer Week to recognize government and industry leaders who have played pivotal roles in the federal government IT community. “My recognition reflects work I’ve done to improve cyber and supply chain security of government contractors.”
Christopher Fisher MPP writes, “just to mention that I have recently been appointed to serve as the next chair of the Marshall Commission, responsible for the British Marshall Scholarship Programme, under which up to 40 talented U.S. graduates study in British universities for one/two years to commemorate the Marshall Aid Plan—nice to have a continuing connection with higher education and a renewed connection with the United States.”
1979
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Danielle Beauchamp MC/MPA writes, “Our MPA ’79 lunch bunch has been meeting in DC for decades now, but we have lost touch with our out-of-town classmates. Any interest in an annual email newsletter? A Facebook page (I know lots of folks hate this platform)? If you are in the DC metro area, email me and join us. Our 40th reunion will be in 2019!”
Arthur Cronson MC/MPA retired from Con Edison, after 32 years, two years ago. “I held positions in organization development, compensation, field auditing, and finally public affairs. The skills that I picked up at the Kennedy School served me well at the utility. Thanks to my efforts of partnering the company with nonprofits, there has been a Con Edison–sponsored three-acre corn maze in New York City, at the Queens County Farm Museum, for over 10 years. This endeavor is my most shining and long-lasting achievement! Over 17,000 visitors each year happily traipse through the maze from all over the world!”
Will Fleissig MC/MPA, after 30-plus years living in Denver and San Francisco, rejoined the Eastern time zone, having become the CEO/president of Waterfront Toronto, which is charged to revitalize 2,000 industrial acres adjacent to downtown. “This immense area is being transformed into a 21st-century SmartGreen city with 30,000 units, 25 million commercial square feet, parks and cultural destinations, while generating new technologies, products, services, and jobs that address Canada’s and Ontario’s response to building a low-carbon future. Looking to reconnect with HKS colleagues for insights into how best to leverage private investments as we deploy $1.25 billion in new Port Lands infrastructure.” www.waterfrontoronto.ca
1980
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Jerome Ostrov MC/MPA has just completed a manuscript of his first novel. The story begins in 1933 Germany and follows the separate experiences of father and son, Simon and Jonathan Rosenman, as they navigate the shoals of anti-Semitism on both sides of the Atlantic. “The Vow,” the subtitle of the first part of the book, centers on a vow made by 15-year-old Jonathan in 1935 Palestine. “War and Redemption,” the subtitle of the second part of the book, describes the fulfillment of that vow. For a pre-publication pdf of the story, please contact Jerry at jerryostrov@gmail.com.
Roger Sharpe MC/MPA writes that his papers on public policy issues such as criminal justice, gay and civil rights, education, censorship, the Gettysburg Address, et al. are in the repository of the NC Collection of Manuscripts at East Carolina University’s Joyner Library. Correspondence with Maya Angelou, Bill Moyers, Will Campbell, and Mike Dukakis is included. Two fellowships named after him are awarded annually by philanthropist James D. Warlick.
1981 / 35th Reunion
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Edward Edelson MC/MPA, after being the first Democrat to ever be re-elected in Southbury, Connecticut, was defeated in his third re-election bid. “Although I am disappointed, the last two years of personal attacks were fatiguing and kept us from moving on many of the initiatives, including the state’s first drought ordinance and energy projects. On the plus side were many of the successes —preserving 1,000 acres of prime farmland, adding open space, including many acres along the Pomperaug River, and improving technology at the police department. A great experience all around.”
Kay (Rubin) Kinney MPP joined Fidelity Information Systems (FIS) in November 2015 as senior compliance engagement manager in the Consumer Compliance and Fair Banking group. She is leading regulatory and compliance consulting engagements with banks and mortgage lenders. FIS is a worldwide leader in banking technology and consulting.
Joe Leitmann MPP, as lead disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank, has been named to head programs on Resilient Recovery and Urban Resilience at the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). He also takes the lead on special efforts to bridge the humanitarian-development divide and the nexus between disasters, fragility, and conflict at the gFDRr. In November 2015, he became a grandfather for the second time with the birth of his grandson Ari.
Robert Reiner MCRP received his designation as a Retirement Income Certified Professional from the American College of Financial Services and provides pro bono advisory services to those in need. He joined the AVID Mentorship Program, which helps to improve college readiness for high school students often underrepresented in higher education. Rob also mounted an exhibition of controversial artwork at the Flinn Gallery in Greenwich, Connecticut. “Ka-Pow! How Comics Imperiled America” examined the U.S. Senate’s efforts to censor comics as a corrupting influence during the McCarthy era.
1982
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Eric Elbot MPA returned from months in Bali conducting national security focus groups to share the outcomes as a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the New Hampshire presidential primary. His plan for peace in the Middle East by redrawing the nation-state lines along all-Sunni and all-Shiite lines planted deep seeds. Eric is now working on a nonprofit version of the Veritas Scientific Corporation (veritasscientific.us), Deep Neu Algorithmic Labs (DNA), to use brain wave pattern recognition algorithms to create strategic innovation education through study groups with complementary brain configurations to think around corners collaboratively.
Ron Geigle MC/MPA is now working on a screenplay for his 2014 novel, The Woods, set in the Pacific Northwest during the Great Depression. He sends a shout-out to all those 1980s HKSers who are finding new ways to spend their lives.
Martin Krongold MCRP is developing housing for homeless veterans and is a trustee for an alternative high school. He just interviewed for a New York State School Regents position. His three kids are a constant source of pleasure. “Well 2 out of 3 anyway; trying to remain positive and succeeding some of the time!”
Brant Maller MCRP was appointed a trustee of the National Institute of Public Finance (NIPF) and the chair of its investments and pensions track. “Working with the NIPF, the National Association of State Treasurers, Pepperdine University, and the economic think tank I founded, I helped to create the nation’s first Certificate in Public Treasury Management program at Pepperdine.”
1983
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Janet Corcoran MCRP has joined LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, New York, serving as executive advisor to the president.
Ned Daly MCRP says his debut film, Pastiche Vol1 No1, has played to appreciative festival audiences around the world. In 2014 it premiered at the Seoul Experimental Short Image and Film Festival, and in 2015 it screened in Bilbao, Spain, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ned’s 2015 release, Why We Went to the Moon, purports to reveal the psycho-sexual underpinnings of the Apollo moon program.
Bernice Friedlander MC/MPA writes, “Four years ago I established the Friedlander Family Scholarship program at Lakewood High School, in Lakewood, New Jersey, to assist needy graduating seniors. Most students come from low-income, single-parent families. Many are from minority populations. It is thrilling to see these young people work hard both at academics and at after school jobs to realize their dream of a college education. Thus far, nearly 50 students have benefited from the program. Each year awards have increased in size and number. Your support is welcome too.”
Isabel Liu MPP has been appointed to the board of directors of Pensions Infrastructure Platform, founded by leading UK pension funds to invest debt and equity in UK infrastructure. She was earlier appointed to the board of Transport Focus, the watchdog for users of UK rail, bus, tram, and highways, by the secretary of state for transport.
1984
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David Barol MPP recently published The Long Green Tunnel, an adventure book that also explores relationships, communities, and dreams.
Margarita Castellon MC/MPA writes, “These days, I am very involved in organizing events for our HKS South Florida Alumni Network, and I encourage our South Florida alumni to join us. Recently, we had two great learning events: In December, Harvard graduate and Broward County Superintendent Bob Runcie discussed strategies for transforming education and saving our children’s future; in March, Ambassador Jim Cason and Frank Calzon shared their views on the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Cuba and its human rights implications. Stimulating discussions!”
1985
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Rick Heller MPP writes that his first book, Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy, has been published by New World Library. “It is a combination of science journalism and a how-to guide based on meditations I’ve led for the past five years at the Humanist Community at Harvard.”
John Krajovic MC/MPA married Dr. John Kevin Tucker in Chicago in April 2015. John retired from Massport as deputy director of airport planning in August 2016 and was recently appointed as Provincetown’s rep to the Cape Cod Commission.
Helen Nienhueser MC/MPA recently received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alaska Conservation Foundation. “The award recognizes my work to protect Alaska and its special places and to make Anchorage a good place to live. It includes the acclaimed Alaska hiking guide, 55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska . . . now in its fifth edition, cofounder of the Alaska Center for the Environment, chair of the citizen lobby group that pushed Alaska’s legislature to adopt the third most liberal abortion law in the nation, establishment of a major urban park, and service on many boards. For more information, Google Alaska Conservation Foundation awards.”
Maria Nuria De Cesaris MC/MPA is still in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, “dedicated as a way of living to cook (Cocina Urbana) and for passion to design with communities and small urban parks . . . in the middle of a political and economic crisis in my country.”
1986 / 30th Reunion
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John Calhoun MC/MPA, the president and CEO of Hope Matters and a leading expert on crime prevention and early intervention, has published Policy Walking: Lighting Paths to Safer Communities, Stronger Families and Thriving Youth. The book spotlights programs that work for vulnerable youth and fragile communities, but also reflects on how to get that tough work done.
Sherri Wasserman Goodman MPP is now a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She recently served as president and CEO of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. She is also a member of the secretary of state’s International Security Advisory Board with Professor Graham Allison, among others.
John Hill MC/MPA, since returning to Treasury in 2009, has worked on initiatives to improve the efficiency of government. As chief disbursing officer of the United States, he was instrumental in replacing paper checks with electronic payments for millions of benefit recipients and government contractors. These wide-ranging projects have saved taxpayers millions of dollars and have accelerated the move to an all-electronic federal government. In his current project, he is leading the government’s effort to replace more than 10 million paper invoices with electronic transactions. The United States has joined the dozens of other nations that now require electronic invoices from government suppliers.
Rob Muller MPP is thrilled to report, “I was recently appointed dean of the College of Education at National Louis University in Chicago. Sally (Sachar, COO of UsAgainst Alzheimers) and I are empty nesters and have relocated after 25-plus years in DC area. Visits welcome!”
Marian (McClure) Taylor PhD writes, “The Moral Side of the News is a television program in Louisville, Kentucky, that features a panel of religious leaders commenting on selected issues in the week’s news stories. I have been serving on that panel for a year now and enjoy using my political science and seminary backgrounds simultaneously.”
1987
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Bill Aliski MC/MPA writes, “It has been 29 years since graduation and it has been a very interesting and rewarding experience. HKS provided the opportunity to build on my previous work but take my career on a different arc. I have worked for several different biotech companies in the orphan disease space. I have worked on creating market access for innovative therapies. Currently I am involved in the boards of several biotech companies and enjoy building successful businesses as a board member.”
Barry Berman MPA, after 40 years of working on other people’s campaigns, “finally threw my hat in the ring, and was elected to the board of selectmen in my hometown of Reading, Massachusetts. Thanks, Marty Linsky, for all I learned in your leadership class. With partisan rancor the rule today, local government is the last best place to get something done. As I like to say, ‘There is no Democratic or Republican way to fill a pothole.’ For my day job, I am a managing director at First Republic Bank, a boutique private bank in Boston. All politics is local!”
Nadine Hack MC/MPA received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Trust after several years being named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior. She was featured in a Forbes article as an agent provocateur who asks the tough questions organizations and their leaders must face. And she is featured in a new Bloomsbury book, Leading Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise.
Barbara (Korthals-Altes) Zadina MPP writes, “After 13 years in international development, I’m having fun managing a major television series called Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music—an 8-hour primetime documentary to air internationally and on PBS in November. Hosted by Sir George Martin, we’ve interviewed more than 200 leading artists and have unprecedented access to Beatles and other music archives! I’m also advising a start-up bringing biologic drugs to the Middle East and Africa. Our initial contracts are with the UAE and Saudi health ministries. Life is busy!”
1988
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Michael Becker MC/MPA says “Hi” from Troia Beach, Portugal. “In May 2018 it will be 30 years . . . Any ideas?”
1989
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Elizabeth McAllister MC/MPA is based in Ottawa and working as a consultant largely with UN organizations on strategy and results management. She enjoys the flexibility to travel and do pro bono work on autism and international development, especially through the McLeodGroup.org. “The impact of the previous government on civil society and public discourse was deeply disturbing. Hope you are all working hard to avoid a similar situation. Life is good up here now!”
1990
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Robert Dodge MC/MPA had a book published on the first case since Reconstruction to overturn a law preventing interracial marriage and the use of that case as a precedent in the struggle to overcome bans on same-sex marriage.
Dick Lundgren MC/MPA is living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he has joined the boards of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County and the Lancaster Farmland Trust.
Neville Vanderburg MC/MPA writes, “I received my Masters of Divinity degree in 2014 and am completing my second year of residency, on the path to being ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2017. Cathy and I serve a small congregation in Belmont, Mississippi, and enjoy time with our three granddaughters. My HKS days constantly inform my ministry as well as the role of the church in society. Y’all come see us. We’ll leave the light on for you!”
1991 / 25th Reunion
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Richard Hough MC/MPA, with coauthor Kimberly McCorkle (MDP participant, Harvard Graduate School of Education), published American Homicide with SAGE Publishing. American Homicide examines all types of homicide and gives additional attention to the more prevalent types of murder and suspicious deaths in the United States. The authors employed more than 30 years of academic and practitioner experience to help explain why and how people kill and how society reacts. The text takes a balanced approach, combining scholarly research and theory with compelling details about recent cases and coverage of current trends.
Christopher Lee MPP writes, “After 17 years covering government, politics, and health care as a reporter for the Washington Post and the Dallas Morning News, I left journalism in 2008 for a job in communications/PR at the Kaiser Family Foundation. It’s been a terrific time to be at a nonprofit that analyzes and explains health care policy, with the Affordable Care Act changing the health care system in substantial ways, not to mention staying in the news year after year. I don’t keep up with many classmates but those I know about are all doing well and carrying on the mission of public service.”
Margaret Daniels Tyler MC/MPA has joined a few like-minded African Americans to form the Black Philanthropy Fund (blackphilanthropyfund.com). “I was also invited to write an op-ed piece for the Boston University School of Education magazine. The piece is ‘From First Breath to First Grade,’ subtitled ‘As educators, let’s tap into the power of parents to help close the achievement gap.’”
Chris Wolz MPP and his 20-year-old son, Alex, crossed the United States by bike last summer, from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, through the Rockies to Banff, Canada. They completed the seven-week, 2,800-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route on their own as a fundraiser for earthquake relief in Nepal, where Chris was a Peace Corps volunteer. Read more at wolzbikers.org. The funds are being channeled to NGOs working in Nepal through GlobalGiving, for which Chris is a board member. He is also CEO of Forum One, a digital agency focused on public policy challenges around the world.
1992
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Dave Bishop MC/MPA served in the Minnesota House from 1983 to 2002 and has written a new book, Finding Common Ground: The Art of Legislating in an Age of Gridlock. More information about the book can be found at mnhs.org/mnhspress/books/finding-common-ground. The book shows minority legislators the methods that can be used to cross the chasms of political identification and competing interest groups. Dave was in the minority party for 14 of the 20 years he served. Nonetheless, he passed more than 200 laws and amendments during his career.
Juliette Fay MPP writes that her fourth novel, The Tumbling Turner Sisters (Simon & Schuster), recounts the adventures of a poverty-stricken family with four girls who try their hand as an acrobatic act in vaudeville in 1919. The story highlights the social and political realities of the day, including entrenched racism and the rise of the “New Woman” with the fight for women’s suffrage. Juliette lives in Wayland, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tom, and their four children.
Juan Garcia MPP, after six-and-a-half years serving in the Obama administration as assistant secretary of the navy, has taken a position as global director for associate development with Amazon. “The culture shift between the E-Ring of the Pentagon and Seattle HQ was pretty jarring: At Amazon meetings there’s no seating chart, no PowerPoint. There might be pet dogs in the room, and the main briefer might have blue hair and a face piercing. But everyone here is whipsmart, works hard, and no idea is too audacious.”
Mary Lawler MPP is celebrating 20 years as executive director of Avenue Community Development Corporation (Avenue CDC), a leading not-for-profit neighborhood revitalization organization in Houston, Texas. Avenue CDC develops affordable homes and apartments and works collaboratively with residents and other stakeholders to create healthy, sustainable communities where families thrive. She is enjoying life with her husband, Peter Kelly, and their two teenage daughters.
Emmanuel Stefanakis MC/MPA was appointed coo at Echohousing.com, builder of low-income housing in developing countries. Echohousing targets the $440 million deficit in housing using advanced construction technology to build sustainably, inexpensively, and rapidly in South and Central America, Asia, and Africa. It is also addressing the deficit of adequate refuge housing in Europe.
1993
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Reuven Carlyle MPA, after seven years in the Washington State House of Representatives, was recently appointed to the state senate. “Part-time business consulting is enjoyable, and four kids ages, 18, 16, 14, and 9, are thriving. My wife, Dr. Wendy Carlyle, and I celebrate our 20th anniversary this year. I continue to be struck by the challenge of systems work in public service. Making bureaucracies function and opening the books of how decisions are made and how the dollars really flow all require reconnecting the institution of government to real people.”
Joseph Guirreri HKSEE has been promoted to vice president of business development and operations in the companies SKC LLC as well as Cybersalus LLC. Both companies are owned by John Kiehm, CEO and president. The companies are Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Joe can be contacted at Joseph@Guirreri.com or JGuirreri@Cybersalus.com.
Mia MacDonald MPP is doing a lot of work on food and agriculture, especially animal agriculture, and their intersection with global climate change and sustainability. “We’re working in China, several global South countries, and globally with civil society networks. I was in Paris for the COP21 climate summit, where the nonprofit I founded and run in New York City, Brighter Green, co-organized an official side event on meat: the big omission from the talks on emissions. (It was surprisingly well attended.) I’m now treasurer of the Green Belt Movement International (founded by Nobel laureate and environmentalist Wangari Maathai), after four years as board chair.
Gwen Young MPP is now director of the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative and Women in Public Service Project at the Wilson Center. Back in DC, the project aims to ensure women are equally represented in public service leadership positions across the globe.
1994
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Robert Choo MPP is living in Washington, DC, and working as a deputy legal advisor at the National Security Council. Before moving to the White House, Bob spent five years at the State Department, including a year in Baghdad from 2011 to 2012 during the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces.
Nasim Firdaus MC/MPA writes, “BDAWL (an NGO I founded in 2008) held a Capstone Conference on October 18, 2015, to conclude a year-long training program on ‘Empowering Women through Nutrition Education,’ funded by the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh. U.S. Ambassador Marcia S.B. Bernicat was the chief guest, and Christine Hunter, country representative of UN Women in Bangladesh, was the special guest. One hundred women from the BDAWL Leadership Academy from all over Bangladesh participated. It was a fun-filled networking event for women with their party workers as well as with opposition party activists and elected representatives.”
Susan Hackley MC/MPA writes, “Three years ago I started a documentary film and outreach project to help bridge the civilian-military divide in the United States. Called “A Child’s Guide to War,” it highlights the toll that war can take on even those far from the battlefield—children and families. Children in war-torn countries suffer far worse, but for Americans, the toll is not insignificant and should be part of the discussion about war. More than 2 million American children have a parent who has been to war. More information is on our website, achildsguidetowar.com, and you can see Veteran Kids, a six-minute film.”
Matt Lecar MPP rejoined Pacific Gas & Electric in 2015 as a principal in regulatory affairs, where he is excited to be in a policy role for the first time since graduating from the K School! Matt also recently celebrated 17 years of marriage to classmate Dorie Apollonio MPP, who is an assistant adjunct professor of health policy in UCSF’s School of Clinical Pharmacy. Matt and Dorie share a charming San Francisco condo with their two charming children, Theodore (10) and Elinor (7), and many charming bicycles.
Sergio Loya HKSEE writes, “What an exciting opportunity it was to be able to work in the Middle East for more than 18 months advising the KSA on industrial, community, and economic development, and large quantitative population statistical modeling projects. The Middle East is the most active region in world news today, and the experience was immeasurable. Putting the knowledge and familiarity to work and advance all of us is the new challenge.”
Trudy (Jeffers) Schafer MC/MPA writes, “I regret to inform you that our classmate Christina Blaesche MC/MPA, from Berlin, Germany, passed away on March 14, 2016. Her husband, Jochen Hartenfels, passed away in 2011. They leave three children. Christina was a cherished friend and proud HKS alumna.”
Glenn Schmitt MPP received a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College last July, where he was named a distinguished graduate. Glenn was promoted to the rank of colonel in the Army Reserve last June and given command of a 56-person legal unit, which provides legal services to commanders and soldiers in reserve and active-duty units in Washington, DC, and Maryland. In his civilian job, Glenn is a senior executive at the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Washington.
1995
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Jeffrey Brown MPP was named the Josef and Margot Lakonishok Endowed Professor and dean of the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was sworn in as the 10th dean in August 2015.
Sam Liccardo MPP completed a strong first year in office as mayor of America’s 10th largest city, San Jose. He forged agreement with 11 unions on a long-standing and contentious pension reform battle, launched a summer jobs initiative for hundreds of teens in gang-impacted neighborhoods, piloted innovative after-school programs for low-income youth, and San Jose led all major U.S. metros in job growth. Sam welcomes any fellow KSGers to city hall who want to help lead new digital initiatives that will make San Jose America’s most innovative city. Sam and his wife, Jessica Garcia-Kohl, live east of downtown San Jose.
Joshua Mendes MC/MPA writes, “Dear classmates! Inspired by my classes at the Kennedy School, I discovered the field of mediation and conflict resolution. I have mediated more than 50 cases and am proud to share this blog I recently launched: mendesmediation.com/#!blog-1/cee5. Best to everyone.”
Mike Walker MPA is president of AlterAction, a consulting firm focused on large-scale behavior change. AlterAction recently helped Sierra Club take an in-depth look at the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) marketplace, identifying policy and program options that are most likely to increase EV sales.
1996 / 20th Reunion
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Dwight Hutchins MC/MPA writes, “Paz Castillo MC/MPA 1997, our 11-year-old daughter, and I moved to Singapore in 2013 and have been making the most of the work assignment by seeing the region. Will be here for a while, at least until the elections sort themselves out! Hope all are well and hope to make it back to see everyone at the 20th! Can’t believe its been that long . . .”
Natalie Keng MPP writes, “My dream has always been to use food as a gateway to support diversity, healthy communities, and sustainability. And yes, the HKS core course curriculum has come in handy, especially Stakeholder Analysis and multiple case studies. Now as Chief Eating Officer, I’m excited to announce Chinese Southern Belle’s new initiative, ‘Farm to Wok,’ in support of farm-to-school programs with menu offerings and chef demos that highlight natural, authentic global flavors. We’re starting in our home state of Georgia and hoping to expand. Let us know if your school district, university, or corporate dining hall is interested. We travel!”
Patrick Mendis HKSEE established the Millennials Award for Leadership and Service at Harvard University. He is a Rajawali Senior Fellow of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, a visiting fellow at Peking University’s School of International Studies, and a distinguished visiting professor of international politics at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. He is also a commissioner of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO at the State Department, a reappointment by the Obama administration.
1997
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John Meredith MC/MPA was featured in a recent article in the Houston Chronicle about an inner-city mentoring program that he and his family participate in.
Samuel Press MC/MPA writes, “I’ve been living in medical retirement since 1998, back home in Burlington, Vermont, which explains why I haven’t been seen or heard very much. This isn’t the life I planned, but I find surprising opportunities to apply skills and lessons from our very good year.”
1998
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Ray Jefferson MC/MPA attended the 2016 Service Academies Global Summit, which took place in Singapore in June. It’s the seminal convening event for all graduates of the U.S. service academies (and their spouses/partners/friends) and focuses on professional development, networking, and exposure to new ideas and opportunities. The summit featured renowned, VIP speakers from business, government, and the nonprofit sector along with a career workshop and “deal huddles.”
Fumihiro Komamiya MC/MPA is a full-time university professor teaching tax law. “I hold a seminar on tax treaties for tax officials of developing countries hosted by National Tax College of Japan and a seminar on improving tax administration for executives of revenue departments of developing countries sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Recently I joined an IMF mission as an external expert on tax laws for the Cambodian government.”
Jenny Korn MPP writes, “HKS alumni, identifying as Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, in the Chicagoland area enjoyed watching the Democratic debate together in person on March 6. We also had a welcome reception planned for newly admitted students of HKS on March 28. If you’re interested in hearing more about our events, please join our Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/Chicagohks and our email list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ksgChicago by sending a blank email to ksgchicago-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.” Jenny has won the Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award.
Ben Mangan MPP writes, “It’s been a year and a half since I made the jump from leading EARN (a social venture I cofounded and ran for nearly 14 years) to leading the Center for Social Sector Leadership at Berkeley-Haas and expanding my teaching there. It has been incredibly fun to explore some new dimensions of social impact—including the launch of a global online learning initiative for NGO workers called Philanthropy University. I do miss seeing K School friends in SF—but do run into classmate Melanie Hurley MPP 2000 sometimes!
1999
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B. Dan Berger MC/MPA, the president and CEO of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, was recognized by The Hill newspaper for the 13th consecutive year as one of the most influential lobbyists in Washington, DC. He was also recently appointed by Florida State University President John Thrasher to the national board of directors of the FSU Alumni Association.
Stan Coerr MC/MPA received the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 2016 Gannon Memorial Prize for his book Rubicon: The Poetry of War.
Jane Preston MC/MPA was promoted to the position of deputy director of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). As deputy director, Jane contributes to NEFA’s strategic direction and manages the programmatic operations and the development of partnerships and budgets to support the organization’s program portfolio.
Nicole Schwab MPP is delighted to have published a novel, The Heart of the Labyrinth, which tells the story of a young woman journeying deep into the Andes and deep into her mind in search for her lost connection with the earth and the sacred feminine. “I am honored that it has been acclaimed as ‘an evocative spiritual parable, filled with exotic landscapes and transformational soul lessons.’”
2001 / 15th Reunion
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Donna Ducharme MC/MPA has just completed an interesting project for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, developing a guidance framework for policy, operational, administrative, and financial issues related to its establishment of strategic pre-positioned stocks around the world for use in migration emergencies. In her spare time she continues to renovate her house in the Italian countryside.
Rick Minor MC/MPA is running for the city commission in Tallahassee, Florida, and is cautiously optimistic about his chances for the primary election on August 30. For more info, please visit RickMinor.com. Rick is also president of Tallahassee Music Week, which recently completed a nine-day festival of 130 musical performances in nearly 60 venues throughout Florida’s capital city. His most rewarding roles, however, are as a husband to his wife, Jessica Lowe-Minor, and as a father to their 2.5-year-old daughter, Madeline.
Preecha Pongcharoenkul MC/MPA has been politically appointed the secretary to first vice-chairman of the Thailand National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), the 200-member driving force to reform Thailand in all aspects according to the road map of a clean, free, and fair election. Corruption (even looting their own country) is the number one priority to be eradicated by the combined tripartite government, National Assembly, and NRSA for the next 18 months before the scheduled general election and putting in place a 20-year road map for Thailand progressing with mechanisms in our constitution to be endorsed by a nationwide referendum.
David Rice MC/MPA, after spending two years in Lagos, Nigeria, to set up and run a pan-African think tank, is returning to teaching at New York University in January and to write a book on doing business in Africa with Nigerian business tycoon and philanthropist Tony Elumelu. “In July of 2016, I will start a nine-month overland trek across Africa to write a book about the continent’s economic future. To gain a unique perspective, I will also be flying a small bush plane in order to reach remote areas and take aerial photo-graphs. Follow along here: AfricabyAir.org.”
Margaret Stock MPA has announced her candidacy as an Independent running for the United States Senate in Alaska. Her campaign website is margaretforalaska.com, and she welcomes support from her classmates and other HKS alumni and friends.
2002
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Mariarosaria Iorio HKSEE has been working as a consultant in development policy advising and adult training within the framework of international organizations. “Also, published a number of articles all collected in my first book: Global Governance Trade and the Crisis in Europe, published in November 2014. The HKS executive education was an eye-opener for me, providing a whole new perspective and tools to read the world.”
Oscar Schiappa-Pietra MC/MPA is CEO of AgroAndino srl, a social venture specializing in growing and drying organic goldenberry, which is exported to the United States and many other countries. Hundreds of micro-farmer families have overcome poverty and are improving their livelihoods thanks to AgroAndino SRL. He is also pro bono representative of The Vine Trust, a Scottish charity that provides free medical services to hundreds of thousands of indigenous persons in the Peruvian Amazonia. He is also a full-time faculty member at CENTRUM Business School, teaching ethics and CRS, organizational behavior, negotiation conflict management, and more.
2003
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Roger Tansey MC/MPA has been appointed to the City of Palm Springs Ethics & Government Task Force. He is cochair of the campaign finance reform subcommittee.
2004
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Cheryl Abbott HKSEE stepped down from the board of directors of the HKS New England Alumni Association in June, after serving since 2006. She was the board’s liaison to Community Action Partners, which convenes teams of consulting alumni from both HBS and HKS to benefit local and international nonprofit organizations based in New England. She recently accepted an invitation to join Harvard’s ILR, an interdisciplinary community of scholars and practitioners.
David Eagles MPP recently launched the Center for Presidential Transition, with the Partnership for Public Service, as the founding director. The center seeks to work with the 2016 presidential candidates and outgoing Obama administration to drastically improve the transition process, engage Congress on transition reform, highlight the importance of management issues, and prepare incoming political appointees to govern effectively on day one. David previously managed corporate transitions for private equity firms and for large corporations and was a leader on the 2012 Romney transition team. He also served in the Bush and Obama administrations during the housing and financial crisis.
Joseph King HKSEE writes, “Best to all. I trust all is well.”
Buck Song Koh MC/MPA was invited by the Japan Foundation, as a cultural leader of Singapore, to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and Okinawa in November 2015.
Robert Manson MPA writes that in March the Harvard Club of Ireland hosted an evening of conversation with HKS Professor of Public Policy Jay Rosengard, who was in Dublin for the Global Tax Policy Conference. Organized by the Irish Tax Institute, the conference featured leading figures from the EU and United States, the OECD, the IMF, and treasury departments globally. It also attracted delegates from around the world. The conference is co-presented by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School.
Ken Robbins MPA retired last year after more than 20 years in the United States Army. He has cofounded a company with another veteran that he hopes will improve the moving process for the more than 300,000 military families that move yearly.
Tim Maxian Rusche MC/MPA published, in December 2015, his monograph EU Renewable Electricity Law and Policy with Cambridge University Press.
2005
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Nnenna Ofobike-Lewis MPP and her husband, U.S. Air Force MSgt. Jermaine Lewis, welcomed their first daughter, Amara Efua Lewis, to the world on September 25, 2015. Nnenna and family are currently serving a three-year assignment to the U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique.
Erica Romero MPP joined the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AICCU) in January as their new vice president of external affairs. AICCU represents the WASC accredited nonprofit higher education institutions in California. In her role, Erica is responsible for being the voice of those institutions before the state legislature, statewide officials, and state agencies.
2006 / 10th Reunion
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Jama Adams MPP cofounded social impact strategy firm SidePorch to help build the ecosystem of people and organizations driving positive social impact alongside financial returns. SidePorch advises executive teams to develop, implement, and measure a social impact thesis within their organizational DNA as they scale. Contact Jama at jama@sideporch.co and learn more at sideporch.co. Her husband, counterterrorism expert Brian Fishman, has a book about ISIS coming out in the fall.
Emily Felt MC/MPA is very much engaged in U.S. energy and carbon policy, living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and working for Duke Energy. “I use what I learned from Dean Williams’s Adaptive Leadership course every day . . . just wish I’d also taken Markets and Market Failures, too!”
Carlos Alberto Rios Henckell HKSEE is an economist with specialization in microfinance. He writes that his participation at Harvard Kennedy School helped to greatly strengthen his knowledge and work practices in microenterprise in Peru. In addition, the program managed to guarantee his relations with other outstanding local and international actors in microfinance. At present, as manager of microfinance in COPEME, he takes part actively in consulting services and project administration of cooperation of entities such as USAID, FOMIN-BID, Citi, OikoCredit, ADA, etc. Also he is a vice-president in an IMF and advisor of the Peru Opportunity Fund and Microfinance Gateway of CGAP.
Dimitry Leger MC/MPA writes, “My acclaimed debut novel, God Loves Haiti (HarperCollins, 2015), is now available in paperback as well as hardcover in online and offline bookstores worldwide.”
Luc Roullet MPA writes, “Life has brought our three-year-old Althéo, Rachell, and me to live on the island recently rated most beautiful in the world: Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, south of Bahamas. Come and visit, sit back and relax. The professional adventures continue on four continents with in Viva (www.in-viva.net): a growing team of leadership and transformation catalysts, including formidable Andreas Sami Prauhart Aburoza MPA. With social technologies based on adaptive leadership, MIT best tools, and life experience, we enjoy catalyzing governments, businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions to make a better world. Looking forward to the May reunion!
Philippa Soskin MPP relocated in August 2015 to Washington, DC, where she works as an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. She has also been named co-fellowship director for Georgetown’s Emergency Medicine Health Policy Fellowship Program.
2007
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Eugenio Amador MPA/ID has been appointed chief investment officer at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), where he will manage the endowment funds of the largest social security system in Mexico, with 79 million affiliates. Eugenio was appointed by the general director of IMSS and will report to the chief investment officer of IMSS.
Zachary Bookman MPA writes that the World Economic Forum named OpenGov, a Silicon Valley software company, a Technology Pioneer at its recent conference in Davos. “We are building a software-as-a-service platform to help power 21st-century governments and transform how the world allocates public money.”
Paz Guzman Caso de los Cobos MPA and her family moved in September to Madrid, where Paz is working as senior economist in the European Commission. “Promoting Europe’s policies, including the Economic and Monetary Union, in Spain. My husband, Jean Derely, continues his work as tech entrepreneur; ManyContacts is his latest venture. We enjoy life as parents of three tremendously energetic children: Victor (7), Itziar (5), and Diego (3).”
Maxie Cuffie MC/MPA was appointed minister of public administration and communications in March 2016. Since September 2015, Maxie has served as the minister of communications and member of parliament for La Horquetta/Talparo. With the additional portfolio, he now spearheads the transformation of the public sector to improve service delivery for the people of Trinidad and Tobago and also has overall responsibility for ICT. He has brought his knowledge of public administration and passion for implementing public sector reform to the new administration, which took office last year. Before politics, Maxie was the CEO of the Government Information Services Limited.
Luiz Felipe d’Avila MC/MPA writes, “In April, the Center of Public Leadership in Brazil arranged for 35 civil servants and public leaders to take a one-week seminar at HKS. It is the international module of our master’s program on leadership and public management.”
Keatra Fuller MPP writes, “My husband and I welcomed our son, Orlando Avent II, into the world on August 1, 2015, and could not be happier!”
Cyrus Hodes MC/MPA, together with two founders of The Future Society at Harvard Kennedy (Nicolas Miailhe MC/MPA 2015 and Simon Mueller MPA 2015), launched The AI Initiative at HKS. “Professors Nye and Waldo, among others, are backing us. By nature we are all engaged in various public policy debates. We are concerned about the rise of an uncontrolled artificial intelligence and are aiming at bridging the gap between policy and science, heading toward a globally accepted compact on AI risks. Please visit us and get involved if you are interested and concerned: thefuturesociety.org/ai-initiative.html.”
Marilyn Raichle MC/MPA in 2015 founded The Art of Alzheimer’s, opening hearts and minds to a different view of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, enabling us to move past fear to knowledge, empathy, and action. “We seek to make access to dementia care treating people as whole human beings in positive environments a national priority. The Artist Within, our first exhibition, presented surprising, fascinating, and inspiring art by individuals 60 to 101 living with dementia—inviting us to see that people who live with dementia are still here, living with dignity, creativity, and joy.” theartofalzheimers.net
Nilmini Rubin HKSEE writes, “My daughter and I had a blast writing a children’s book together called How Carrots Became Orange. Set in the 1600s, it tells the story of two sisters in the Netherlands who decide to enter a contest to honor William of Orange. Their big idea? To make the world’s first orange carrots. (Spoiler: Carrots weren’t always orange.) The sisters, Sanne and Anke, persevere to breed orange carrots out of the white, yellow, red, and purple carrot plants that existed back then. How Carrots Became Orange is available on Amazon.”
2008
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Donna Hockey MPP has recently created Our Story Place to help combat discrimination and hate by introducing cultural awareness in early education through literature, art, and thought projects. Diplomatic case studies and children’s books, including Once Upon a Ramadan, are geared toward ages 3–9. All projects go through a quality control check by the three little people living in the house (ages 2, 4, and 6). Please check it out at ourstoryplace.com.
Roshan Paul MPP writes, “The last 12 months have been hectic! My organization Amani Institute, founded in 2011, tripled in size. We doubled our presence in Kenya and also launched a new office in Brazil. We work on training the next generation of leaders in the social change sector, sort of like an alternative HKS based in emerging markets. If you’re interested in social innovation, talent development, or new models for higher ed, then do get in touch at roshanpaul@gmail.com to partner or collaborate.”
Jed Willard MC/MPA is looking to involve HKS alumni in the FDR Center at Harvard College! “We honor the 32nd president’s legacy by pursuing solutions to current global challenges while keeping in mind their historical origins. Current efforts focus on adaptation to climate change, coping with information warfare, and revitalizing faith in the post-Enlightenment tradition. Also the Arctic, the Transatlantic Alliance, and the linkages between cultural and economic diplomacy. Come visit when next in Cambridge!”
2009
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Eunice Ajambo MPP was given the 2015 Global Female Leadership Impact Award and was also inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame by the Center for Economic and Leadership Development (CELD) in partnership with the CEO Clubs Network Worldwide and the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, USA, at the South America–Africa–Middle East–Asia Women Summit held at the Shangri-La Hotel in December in Dubai, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum. Past CELD awardees have included former female presidents and notable international business and political female leaders.
Rade Glomazic HKSEE, managing director of Finnish Consulting Group International (FCG), Serbia and Montenegro office, became a member of the East West Bridge, an international think tank and brain trust attached to the Trilateral Commission that works in close cooperation with other regional and governmental institutes and with the scientific and research community, aiming at adopting guidelines for sustainable individual, society, and state development.
Joe Negron MC/MPA was named the president-designate of the Florida Senate in December. “I will serve as senate president for the 2016–18 term.” Joe was a Zuckerman Fellow.
Gifty Ohene-Konadu HKSEE writes, “It was a worthwhile experience. It helped me to make meaningful analysis of issues that came up on the floor of parliament.”
Diego Osorio MC/MPA has been director of PASO, Paz Sostenible para Colombia (Sustainable Peace for Colombia) since January. This is a program established by the One Earth Foundation and seeks to create parameters to support the post-conflict process in Colombia.
Michele Wucker HKSEE, a member of the 2009 Young Global Leaders cohort, recently published The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore. A “gray rhino,” Michele explains, is kin to the elephant in the room and the improbable and unforeseeable black swan. They are not random surprises but instead, like the 2008 housing crisis and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, dangerous events that occur after a series of warnings and visible evidence.
2010
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Nada Al Mutawa HKSEE writes, “Over the past century, women’s advancement in economic, political, and social positions has made significant progress. However, despite the various trends of women empowerment, women remain underrepresented in business councils, political posts, and leadership positions. There is a need to address the ‘glass ceiling’ in a new paradigm, target barriers women face, and enable transformative change to empower women to shape their lives. Reinvent approaches through creating networks that allow women to learn from mentors and entrepreneurs.”
Ramaswami Balasubramaniam MC/MPA released his fifth book, I, the Citizen. “Very happy that the first printing got completely sold out and sales of the second printing are on. The book has got good reviews and is finding resonance with development practitioners, policymakers, NGO leaders, and government officials. I continue to work in the nonprofit that I founded, the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (svym.org), and at Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (graam.org.in).
Nizar Farsakh MC/MPA started a new company under her name focusing on leadership, negotiations, and advocacy. “Ran a great training in Northern Ireland, where we looked at the negotiations and leadership lessons from that conflict. Met lovely people and got great insights. Highly recommend visiting Ireland! As to extracurricular activities, I have been exploring with some friends ways of supporting the nonviolent movement in Palestine.”
Josh Stephens MPP was recently elected board president of the Westside Urban Forum, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering discussion of civic affairs in his native Los Angeles. For his day job, Josh writes about land use for publications including the California Planning & Development Report, Next City, and Planetizen.
Tidhar Wald MPP, after three years leading Oxfam’s EU conflict and humanitarian policy work out of Brussels, moved in 2013 to New York, where he has been leading the government and corporate relations team of the Better Than Cash Alliance, a United Nations partnership of governments, companies, and international organizations that promotes the transition from cash to digital payments as a means to increase transparency, reduce poverty, and expand access to financial services to the 2 billion people in the world who are still unable to participate in the formal financial system. He travels constantly and enjoys connecting with classmates wherever he lands!
Rob Werner HKSEE writes, “My work as the New Hampshire state director of the League of Conservation Voters is very fulfilling and meaningful as we work to meet the challenges of global climate change. Our team is engaged in building partnerships with business and faith leaders on these critical issues, and I’m proud of the impact that we have made. After winning re-election in 2015, I began my fifth term on the Concord, New Hampshire, city council. I chair the Concord Energy and Environment Committee, and we recently voted to install a 2-megawatt solar installation that will meet 40 percent of the city’s electric bill.”
2011 / 5th Reunion
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Shahab Ahmed HKSEE moved to Abu Dhabi as legal head/chief privacy counsel at Etihad Airways. Family and Shahab are loving the new adventure in life after 10 years at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.
Sean Barney MPA recently launched a campaign for U.S. Congress to fill the open seat created by Rep. John Carney’s run for governor. Sean entered the race with a call for the U.S. government to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees and has since put forth an extensive democracy reform policy proposal. Sean’s campaign website is seanbarneyforcongress.com.
Major Nathaniel Davis MPA has been selected to assume duties as the director of defense and strategic studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point beginning in June.
2012
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Jay Bhatt MPA has been selected for the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program. He was appointed president of Midwest Alliance for Patient Safety and chief health officer of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association.
Francis Choi MPP joined the Los Angeles office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy as an associate in their Global Project Finance practice in October 2015. He will be working primarily on agreements for financing and developing renewable energy projects.
Georgeta Dragoiu MPP is the founder of 3TEC, a public advocacy campaign that works for legislative change to support consumer choice and innovative companies like Tesla that are stifled by outdated laws and regulations. “Our first campaign focuses on direct car sales, which are currently restricted or prohibited in 25 U.S. states. Such outdated laws only hurt the American consumer and stifle innovation. 3TEC takes on this challenge through strategic advocacy campaigns and grassroots consumer mobilization. We are looking to grow our team and advisors. Join us and contact me at Georgeta@3tec.us.”
Haney Hong MPP, after a four-month search, was recently selected as the new president and CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, an organization driving effective public management in the San Diego metro through policy analysis, education, and advocacy. “Though I am now full-time dedicated to my new organization, I continue to own HDH & Associates, LLC, my management consulting firm, while clients are managed day-to-day by experts I trust. I also continue to serve as a reservist in the United States Navy.”
Christopher Robert MPP 2008, PhD, continues some collaborations with HKS faculty but has been focusing mostly on building Dobility, his social enterprise. He’s been delighted that SurveyCTO (Dobility’s technology platform for online/offline data collection) has helped countless researchers, M&E professionals, and others to collect higher-quality data all around the world. Good technology in the right hands can make a difference!
2013
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Salman Alzayani HKSEE graduated with a PhD in public health from the University of Connecticut. His dissertation was “Effect of Cultural Background and Training on Stigmatized Attitudes among Healthcare Professionals: A Randomized Study of Medical Students’ Attitude and Behaviors toward Alcohol Dependent Individuals in the Middle East.” Professor Thomas Babor, chair of the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care at the University of Connecticut, was his major advisor. Salman has joined the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences at the Arabian Gulf University in the Kingdom of Bahrain as a faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Nick Bayard MPA/ID writes, “My wife, Sedia, and I welcomed our daughter, Piper Sky Bayard, to the world on October 16, 2015! As executive director of The REACH Center, I was invited to the White House to participate in the Champions of Change event on strategies to boost summer employment and educational opportunities for youth. President Obama has set a goal of helping 1 million young people gain the work experience, skills, and networks that come from having a first job, and the City of Tacoma and The REACH Center are part of the nationwide community of practice leading this charge.”
Aliyu Bello HKSEE, after attending HKS in December 2013, “completed my assignment as the defense attaché at the Nigerian embassy in Washington, DC, in 2014 and was awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit. After that, I attended the U.S. Air College in Montgomery, Alabama, and graduated in 2015. I’m now an air commodore in the Nigerian Air Force.”
Rahul Daswani MPP writes, “Working as a futurist in the Singapore government has allowed me to span a range of topics, such as automation and robotics and their effect on future jobs, population demographic changes across major countries and their social and economic impact, what our climate change mitigation actions would look like, and how political systems are evolving. While no predictive crystal ball exists, designing plausible sets of different scenarios through a variety of media allows decision makers to contemplate policymaking in the context of a future world with significantly different characteristics.”
Miguel Espinoza MPA continues to work as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, focusing on crimes related to sexual assault, domestic violence, and elder abuse. He is writing a book on affirmative action that is due to be published in 2017. His wife, Gina Di Domenico MPA, was recently hired to serve as a senior advisor on homelessness to Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.
Troy Holt HKSEE is now the director of city commerce and communications for the city of Rocklin, California. He is responsible for a wide range of municipal issues and city commerce, including economic initiatives, marketing, property management, business development, legislative advocacy, communications, engagement, and transparency. He develops and implements activities to ensure positive growth and economic sustainability of the city, and he is responsible for event tourism and the start-up of a research and manufacturing innovation district.
Chris Hurst MPA/ID and his Army, HBS, and HKS friend Greg Adams MPA/ID 2014 have started a tech company in Seattle called Stabilitas. Their mission is to make safety and security information transparent globally. Stabilitas uses machine learning to aggregate, map, and analyze security updates from online news and social media. Their mobile app combines this news with crowdsourced security information from users “on the ground.” Users can see their colleagues’ locations and nearby risks (e.g., protests, earthquakes, crime patterns) in real time and coordinate assistance in crises. Greg and Chris would love feedback from HKS grads interested in security, transparency, and data.
Anderson Silva HKSEE participated as a speaker at the 2015 TAPA APAC Supply Chain Conference in Phuket, Thailand. “I could put into practice knowledge acquired throughout my career and especially through the Harvard Kennedy School course Senior Executives in National and International Security.”
Admir Serifovic MC/MPA is a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), currently on a two-year assignment with the USAID mission in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
2014
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Pierre Deshommes HKSEE, while serving in the Horn of Africa, more particularly in Ethiopia, proposed a drastic change in the international food aid policy between the developed and the developing countries. “We could have done better if only we had come up with a durable and sustainable development program that can help these people to be self-supporting. I am so glad to see that today, major international institutions such as the UN, FAO, and USAID have embarked on this project.”
Benjamin Hill MC/MPA was appointed in November as the first head of the new Specialized Ethics and Conflict of Interest Prevention Office by the minister of public administration of the Mexican federal government. This office, created by executive order of President Peña-Nieto, will be responsible for implementation of government-wide codes of conduct, will evaluate the performance of the ethics committees of every federal office, will generate criteria to identify conflict of interest of public servants, and will engage in investigations of graft and corruption. Benjamin lives in Mexico City with his wife, Alejandra Sota MC/MPA.
Kristel Johnson HKSEE was promoted to deputy chief in the New York City Police Department in June 2015.
Jacob Wood HKSEE I was recently appointed as the assistant city manager for the city of Hays, Kansas, a university community of 20,000 people located halfway between Kansas City and Denver on Interstate 70. “We are the regional hub of northwest Kansas for retail, education, medical service, entertainment, and recreation.”
2015
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Edward Dong MC/MPA has shifted his career from business over the past 20 years to public service as chair of the U.S.–China Committee of International Leadership Foundation (ILFnational.org). “I established the Edward and Charity Dong Family Fund at HKS during my study in school in 2015 and served in KSSG and Harvard Graduate Student Council. Currently I serve as HKS alumni ambassador, a member of the Harvard 1879 Society, and a DAC member in the School of Management, SUNY at Buffalo. I received the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award in March 2016 and the Leadership Award for Asian Americans by the International Leadership Foundation in July 2015.
Mabel Josune Gabriel Fernandez MPA/ID moved to Paris after graduation and joined the OECD economics department, which has been a truly rewarding experience. “It has been only eight months since I left HKS, and I cannot wait for my five-year reunion.”
Sebastian Hurtado MC/MPA writes, “With renewed skills in public policy, I’m back at the helm of my political-risk consultancy (profitas.com), based in Quito, Ecuador. I’m also leading fintech start-up friendlytransfer.com, which I founded at the Harvard Innovation Lab last year. Two very exciting activities that will keep me busy for years to come...”
Martin Maximino MPP in 2015 cofounded i4 Group, a new political consulting firm that uses sophisticated opinion research techniques to help candidates, parties, and public leaders in Latin America. In the past, local consulting firms were built around conventional products rather than accurate and thorough data analysis. As a result, candidates and public officers usually lacked the information, insight, and evidence to win elections and implement innovative policies. Today, i4 Group provides the most reliable research by bridging the gap between cutting-edge technologies and committed public leaders. “We combine information, intelligence, innovation, and impact to work throughout the Latin American political landscape.”
MaryRose Mazzola MPP in January became executive director of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council, a public-private partnership between the city of Boston, Simmons College School of Management, and more than 60 companies in the greater Boston area dedicated to closing the gender pay gap. This past fall, she also served as communications and field director for Boston City Council President Michelle Wu’s successful reelection campaign.
In Memoriam
Christina Blaesche MC/MPA 1994
Abundio Maldonado MPA 1952