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Get to Know Our Grads

Each month, in our Public Service Spotlight, we profile Wagner alumni who are making outstanding strides in public service. See below for this month's profile and for past features.

Don't miss our Alumni Videos! Watch interviews with alumni in the workplace as they reflect on their academic and professional experiences.

Check out the Recent Alumni Employment Statistics page to find out how Wagner graduates are faring in the job market.

 

 

Public Service Spotlight: Doug White, MPA 2007
Manager for Government Affairs at Cricket Communications, Inc.

The education I received and the experiences I’ve built on top of that solid foundation of knowledge will no doubt carry me forward into future roles. My MPA continues to be helpful as I play an ever more active role in state and national political campaigns.

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Marc Minor, MPA 2011
Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting LLP

"During my full-time job interviews at the end of graduate school, I used my capstone experience as an example of applying consulting principals. My capstone project gave me a broadened appeal on my resume and made me more confident in my ability to successfully change into a different industry."

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Satish Chandra, MS 2001
Business Process Reengineering Advisory, Ministry of Mines, Government of Afghanistan

"I have steered at senior level medium to large business units and demonstrated significant accomplishments. All these attributes led to my continued engagement in public service."

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Ariana Proehl, MPA 2011
Creator, Producer and Host of "Know This! with Ariana"

"I think it's exciting to explore non-traditional ways of bridging industries and imagining what public service can look like."

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Brent J. Cohen, MPA 2009
Director of Legislative and Government Affairs for the New York City Department of Probation

As the Director of Legislative and Government Affairs for the New York City Department of Probation, Brent J. Cohen (MPA 2009), advances the agency’s priorities through legislation and inter-governmental relationships.

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Elizabeth Wolff, MPA 2011
Executive Director of Quality Improvement and Health Outcomes at the Primary Care Information Project with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).

Elizabeth Wolff, MPA '11 recently accepted the position of Executive Director of Quality Improvement and Health Outcomes at the Primary Care Information Project with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).

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Elwood Hill, MPA 2005
Analyst at the Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York (OSDC)

"In my work I see a lot of creative approaches, and it makes my job exciting that New York City is always changing and I never know what to expect. Additionally, I work with a bunch of really great people."

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Char Woods, EMPA 2010
Patient Advocate, NYU Medical Center

"I really enjoy working with patients because it’s bigger than improving their individual hospital experiences. I see between 40 and 60 patients each day; my goal is to spot the trends and issues, such as bottlenecks, and to alert the hospital administrators who can address and change the systemic problems."

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David Bergman, MPA 2002
Program Officer, Regional Extension Centers, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT at the Department of Health and Human Services

“I work with seven REC programs in my region—Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas—providing a lot of advice and asking them strategic questions to make sure they’re collaborating with other state and local partners, reaching out to providers, achieving milestones and submitting required reporting.”

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Bonnie Osinski, MPA 1981
Director of Development, CAMBA

Good fundraising is based on sound management. The money is only a means to an end; good fundraising ultimately makes an organization stronger and more effective at fulfilling its mission.

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Scott Clarke, MPA 2008
Founding Director, Amandla Development

I'd like to see Amandla leading the effort to improve opportunity in South Africa and build a more equal and just society.

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Sandra Goldstein, MS 1998
President, Downtown Special Services District, Stamford, CT

Urban planning and economic development are two of the most stimulating and intellectually satisfying types of work one can do.

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Jennifer Maulsby, MPA 2001
Founder and Executive Director, Everyday Philanthropy

We are only just beginning to meet the needs of our partner organizations and there is so much room for growth.

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Sean Maloney, MPA 2008
Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator for Africa at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

My portfolio includes all of Sub-Saharan Africa, so every day is an unpredictable adventure.

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Aaron Ampaw, MPA 2009
Congressional Fellows Program with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

I am constantly learning in my issue area. I wholeheartedly believe that learning never ceases, no matter what stage you are at in your career. I consider myself a perpetual student in that regard.

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Cynthia Sparer, MPA 1976
Healthcare Executive, Sprarer Associates

When you have multiple missions, things become very complex.

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Sharad Aggarwal and Ellen O'Connell, MPA 2008 & 1990
Director of Programs, United Methodist Committee on Relief and Vice President for Administration and Board Relations, International Rescue Committee

O'Connell: We mobilize quickly [and our] Emergency Team is on the ground in Haiti.

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AiLun Ku, MPA 2008
Director of Enrollment Management at NYU Wagner

To be living proof of the versatility and practicality of a Wagner education makes my recruitment job easy and fulfilling.

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Paul Tainsh, MPA 1979
Principal, The Sustainable Center and Local Issues

My consulting work has given me the opportunity to revalue my skills and how they relate to different projects.

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Donna & Michael Butler, MUP 1994
Eco-Travel Entrepreneurs

There's always a balance between the customer's demands and sticking to sustainable principles.

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Nora Abramson, MPA 2008
Manager for Charter School Development, Lincoln Center's Institute for the Arts in Education

I love fitting all the parts together to create the school. My job taps into the business side of my brain as well as the human interest side.

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Jacob Victory, MPA 1998
Administrator for Children and Family Services, Visiting Nurse Service of New York

The key way to change healthcare is through evidence-based care delivery models - linking the medical outcome with the value you're getting, and through management efficiencies.

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Lara Gidvani, MPA 2009
Knowledge Manager, Alliance for Financial Inclusion

My new job is going to be challenging. There are so many inputs that go into policy making and we're an external organization trying to influence that policy.

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Robert Greenan, MPA 2000
Deputy Press Attaché, American Embassy in Cairo

This new administration has a clear objective of engaging the world...[and] the possibilities for better relationships between the U.S. and the Middle East are real...it's an exciting time to be here.

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Urban Planning Grads, MUP 2005, 2005 & 2006
Urban Planners Rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region

A: Stinson: I enjoy seeing a project through from beginning to end...I like to see how dollars turn into structures for people to live in. B: Mullin: I particularly enjoy meeting with the residents who are returning to New Orleans - and who have endured many challenges in getting back home again.

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Vera Moore, MUP 2008
Technical Assistance Program Associate, Seedco

My mission is to expose low income communities to innovative resources pertaining to investment instruments, with the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency.

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Christian DiPalermo, MPA 1992
Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks

Wagner's connection to the city is one of its biggest strengths. You feel part of the city as a student and you are exposed to all of the positive - and negative - aspects of city government.

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Victoria Shire, MPA 2001
Deputy Director for Neighborhood Initiatives, Enterprise Community Partners in New York

I have the incredible fortune to work with really smart, creative people (including many Wagner alums) who bring an incredible amount of passion to achieve a mission I truly believe in: that we all have the right to a safe, healthy, affordable home.

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Chris Manning, MPA 2003
Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Intergovernmental Affairs, NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

The things you read on Tuesday in the newspaper are the things I was working on on Monday.

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Bonnie Stone, MUP 1974
President and Chief Executive Officer, Women In Need

In social services you have an opportunity to put wealthy people and poor people together in an effort to make things better, and that's an interesting partnership.

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Gail Sussman, MUP 1980
Group Managing Director, Public Finance Department, Moody's Investors Service

We are constantly living under a microscope and a spotlight at the same time. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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Kenneth Wong, MPA 2004
Director of Arts & Cultural Programs, NYC & Company

Hands down the most practiced skill I have taken with me from my time at Wagner has been conflict resolution.

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Muende Mueke, MPA 2001
Regional Advisor, UN Regional Directors' Team for Eastern and Southern Africa

As an African woman, doing something to support other African women further their education in public administration (a much needed skill in Africa) was an important effort worth contributing to.

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M. Haberman & M. Leitman, MPA 2003 & 2006
President, PENCIL & Partnership Coordinator, PENCIL

What I do is not just my job, it’s a large part of who I am – it’s what I love. - Haberman

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Erik Korolev, MPA 2003
Project Manager, Blue Shield of California

My challenge is to find initiatives that control healthcare prices without sacrificing quality.

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Susan Lacerte, MPA 1991
Executive Director, Queens Botanical Garden

There is a role for gardens to highlight our natural resources.

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Joseph Jarrin, MPA 1997
CFO and Deputy Commissioner, New York City's Department of Transportation

I am part of a team that is pushing forward new city initiatives.

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Beth Weitzman, PHD 1980 and 1987
Professor of Health and Public Policy

I came to realize I wanted to do a Ph.D. because of the work I saw people doing at the Board of Education.

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Leila Finucane Edmonds, MUP 1999
Director, Department of Housing and Community Development, Washinton, DC

In my role, every day is about partnerships.

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Harold Pettigrew, MUP 2005
Chief of Staff, DC Department of Small and Local Business Development

Every day is completely different at DC's Department of Small and Local Business Development.

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Alicia Polak, MPA 2001
President, Khaya Cookie Company, South Africa

We work to 'create opportunity one bite at a time'.

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